Gifts of the Kazekage
by happywanderer2
Summary: The whole ‘Kankuro inherited the puppets’ thing that you see in some character descriptions makes no sense to me. So here is my version of events. This occurs during the both the story arcs, so beware of Shippuden spoilers. Rated 13 or T for violence.
1. An Old Man's Request

The whole 'Kankuro inherited the puppets' thing that you see in some of the character descriptions makes no sense to me. So here is my version of events. This occurs during the both the story arcs, so beware of Shippuden spoilers. Rated 13+ for violence and language. I do not own the majority of these characters, just borrowed them for awhile.

Gifts of the Kazekage

One-An Old Man's Request

There was a storm coming along. Baki could hear the wind rising in the darkening streets. He was thinking about calling it an evening when someone tapped on his door. He looked up and was surprised to see Ebizo standing there, hands tucked into his long sleeves. Baki put his pen down and stood.

"Ebizo-jii-sama, good evening. How may I help you?"

"Baki. I apologize for the intrusion and for letting myself in. I did not want to disturb anyone."

"Please, it is no intrusion. Sit down. Could I get you something?"

The old man waved the offer away as he sat, "No, no it is not necessary."

After sitting he did not say anything, but just sat, frowning. His deep set eyes were unreadable. Baki let him sit. You did not rush a man of Ebizo's standing, but he was curious to know what had brought the old man out at this hour.

"It is most tiring," Ebizo said finally and sighed. "And upsetting. A man my age should be sitting quietly in a corner, enjoying a well earned retirement."

Baki nodded. He could guess now why the old man was visiting. He smiled a little, but was careful not to let the old man see his amusement.

"Ebizo-jii-sama, I suppose you are referring to your new student? I am sorry, he can be a handful. It is my fault that he is not more…respectful."

"Bah!" Ebizo's eyebrows twitched up and down like antennae as he vented. "If that were the only problem; he is stubborn, impulsive, loud, and profane in the extreme. I have never met anyone so disinclined to listen to instruction. The circumstances of his upbringing may excuse some of it, but…" the old man made an irritated sound, his eyebrows twitched again and then fell back into place.

"However," he continued after a moment, "he is also intelligent, strong, and fiercely loyal to his village. And above all, he is devoted to his art. And for that alone I will continue this painful exercise. I do believe that poor Chiyo-nii-chan would approve."

"I am very grateful for that, Ebizo-jii-sama. I cannot tell you how grateful. I was worried about Kankuro after what happened. But now I am sure that he will be back to normal very soon."

It was the truth; it had been hard to watch Kankuro struggle with the massive damage done to his puppets. Baki had been at a loss, until Ebizo had offered to take Kankuro on as a student. Puppet techniques had been always been rare; it required an enormous amount of training and skill. Puppeteers had always been viewed with some suspicion by others because their methods were so different. And with the defection of Sasori of the Red Sands, the art had fallen into outright disfavour. There was almost no one left who was trained in the art, Kankuro was the only puppeteer of his generation in the Sand village.

"Normal!" Ebizo huffed. "I should hope not. If he is to continue to train with me then his previous ways must end."

"I...uh…well…" Baki stopped. He would not contradict the old man, but he had a difficult time imagining Kankuro any other way than he was. But then, if Gaara could endeavor to change…

"Humph, not his personality. Sadly, I cannot hope to have any affect on that. He is his father's son in more than just his looks. No, no, it is the lack of training that will end." Ebizo shook his head. "I still cannot figure it out. How did he not receive all the training?"

"All? But Ebizo-jii-sama, he has perfect control over his three puppets. I am no expert in puppet techniques, but…"

"That is painfully obvious! My poor Chiyo-nii-chan thought this village had gone soft, having to call on outsiders to deal with the Akatsuki, but she would have been appalled to see how forgetful of tradition we have become. A true puppeteer makes his own puppets! He may train on his master's, or someone else's, but he eventually makes his own. Puppets that are so infused with his chakra that they can almost respond to his thoughts. That is what results in perfect control. And three! No one in my generation would be promoted to jounin with only three puppets."

He sighed. "This is all very tiring. So I will get to the point of my visit; Baki I want you to tell me why he never made his own puppets? Why does he still use puppets made by Sasori of the Red Sands?"

"Ebizo-jii-sama, I am sorry but I think that you should ask Kankuro that question. It is something he should tell you himself."

"I did! He told me that he had inherited them and learned to use them and that was all that was important. He would not give me any details." Ebizo sniffed. "Inherited! That is ridiculous!"

Baki frowned, "Ebizo-jii-sama, I am sorry but I would have thought that you, of all people, would know about these things."

"That may be true, but you did see him learn to use each of those puppets. I can tell that he did not start out with all three. He has used Karasu for a long time and Shanshouo much less. You know the details of the circumstances?"

Baki nodded, "I do."

"Then tell me. Sasori would never have left anything to the Kazekage or his family. The Fourth Kazekage took the puppets from Chiyo-nii-chan. It was the last thing he forced her to do. She would never tell me exactly what happened and she never spoke of them again. I did not even know what had happened to them until I saw them after Kankuro had fought with Sasori. I never got a chance to ask her about it before she…" he trailed off.

The rising wind was the only sound in the office for some time.

"So tell me." Ebizo said. "Start with Shanshouo. He is the last addition and is a strange choice for someone as fierce as Kankuro."

"Ah, Ebizo-jii-sama, that is not a pleasant story."

Baki shifted his chair so he was looking out the window. Various images surfaced from his memory; a child's wooden toy, swirling sand, Gaara's blank stare, the Fourth's tired face, a dog-eared book, a fire damaged puppet limb, and Kankuro's fierce grin.

Baki rotated the chair forward again, "To tell all three of these stories will take some time. If you do not mind, would you accompany me somewhere more comfortable? My sister lives nearby. If I am going to do this, then I would prefer to be somewhere more comfortable and private."

"That would be acceptable. But if you are looking for privacy…"

"Do not worry. My sister lives alone. Temari stays with her when she is here, but she is away right now. My sister is most discreet, and knows most of the story."

"Is that so. That is good then."

Baki's sister lived in a house a short walk from the Sand village's administrative offices. The house was small, but well appointed. She ushered the men into a sitting room and left to get them food and drink. She accepted their appearance at the late hour with absolute poise.

Ebizo looked around the room, it was decorated with fans, each one exquisite. Delicate paper, numerous varieties of wood, and bone hung on the walls around him. He had not realized that she was Baki's sister. She had aged well; a stern slender woman in an elegant kimono. She still moved like the dancer Ebizo remembered.

And he remembered the stories told about her missions on behalf of the Sand. In one, she had danced in front of the military leaders of an enemy. They had all been rendered immobile by her beauty and grace. She had finished her dance and disappeared into the night, leaving ten men dead, their throats cut with the deadly edges of her fans. Her cuts were so well executed that no blood had spattered, the men had not moved, and no one else noticed until she was long gone. It was possible that the men had not noticed their own deaths, such was the beauty of her dancing.

Ebizo took another, more careful, look at the fans hanging around him. Now that he was really looking he could see the well maintained edges, hidden behind the paint, ink, lacquer, and graceful carvings. He was surprised to feel a thin chill run down his spine; at his age it was rare that anything could make him feel something like that. He could be annoyed. Yes indeed, he was often annoyed, but this was different.

The woman returned and served them.

Baki thanked her and apologized for the intrusion.

"Yes, thank-you. This is a far more soothing place on my old bones. And you are as lovely as ever Wind Dancer," Ebizo said.

She withdrew a small fan from her sleeve and raised it so it covered the lower half of her face. Beautiful, ageless eyes regarded Ebizo.

"Why thank-you Ebizo-sama, I am honoured that you should remember me." Her voice was low, musical, but had a thin edge of steel. "Wind Dancer. I have not heard that name in many years. I am honoured to lend you my poor dwelling on this night. If you need anything else, please let me know."

She shifted away, settling down at the correct distance, so that they could have privacy and she would still be close enough in case they wanted anything else.

Ebizo nodded at her. This was much better than the office. He liked sake and a comfortable seat to go with storytelling.

"Now then, Baki. Tell me about Shanshouo."

Baki nodded. He took a drink and settled back, "Like I said before it is not a pleasant story. I am at fault for what happened. You see…"

"Baki."

Baki blinked in surprise and looked at his sister.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but what, may I ask, are you doing?"

Baki explained.

His sister snapped her fan shut. Her mouth was drawn into a small moue of distaste. The fan fluttered open again and her tranquil appearance was restored.

"I remember that child. Small boys are nasty creatures. Their only redeeming feature is that they eventually grow into young men. And young men have much to recommend them…as do older men."

Her eyelids fluttered. Ebizo felt another little thrill; her gaze was like a caress.

"But otōto-chan, if you are going to tell a story you must go about it properly. Start at the beginning."

Baki went red, "I, uh, Ebizo-jii-sama asked…"

"No, no." Ebizo waved one bony hand in the air. "Our lovely hostess is correct. You should not see the end of the dance first. So, from the beginning it is."

The woman inclined her head and murmured another apology.

"Of course, as you wish." Baki paused. "So. Karasu."


	2. Karasu

Two-Karasu

Baki stood in the front hallway of the house. He had been ushered in by one of the Kazekage's assistants. The man had told him to go in to the kitchen and then left. It all was very improper, Baki thought. He should not be in Kazekage's residence, just walking in so casually. And he should not be meeting the man in a kitchen.

Baki adjusted his head covering to make sure it was firmly in place. He was still not used to wearing it and he did not like it. The reduced depth perception that resulted from the loss of an eye was bad enough, and the cloth reduced his field of vision even further. But it was better that no one saw the ruin that the cloth covered. The doctors told him that things would improve with time; his injuries were still recent. But Baki suspected that things would never be right again. He had no illusions about what this injury meant, he was not going to be able to function as a true shinobi ever again.

"Baki, is that you?" A man had appeared at the end of the hallway. "Please come in."

"Kazekage-sama, it is an honour." Baki bowed and then followed the man into the house.

The Kazekage waved him into the kitchen with one large, calloused hand. He was dressed as any shinobi might be, foregoing the more formal robes of his office.

Baki could see that he had been holding meetings and working at the kitchen table; it was littered with books and papers.

The Kazekage waved him into a chair, "Please pardon the mess and this inappropriate location. But things are still a little unsettled around here."

"It is not a problem, Kazekage-sama. And please let me offer condolences. Your brother-in-law was a splendid shinobi."

"Thank-you. Yes he was. Although…" the Kazekage's voice trailed off.

His gaze drifted away and his face hardened. Then he shook his head and his features took on a more pleasant expression. Baki noticed that he looked tired, but that might be expected, he was a busy man with the worries of an entire village on his shoulders.

"In any case, thank-you. And while I think of it I would like to pass on my gratitude to your sister. Please thank her the next time you see her. She has done my family a great service by agreeing to take my daughter as her pupil. I know she was ready to retire, which makes it an even greater favour. Temari is very happy in her house."

Baki murmured the appropriate polite reply. His sister was not at all pleased with the arrangement, but he was not going to mention that. She had told Baki that she was more than ready to withdraw from the world, having given the Sand village her youth, her blood, and the blood of two of her children. She had looked at the ruin of her brother's face and added, and my brother's beauty. She did not want her skills passed on, she felt that they were no longer needed. She did not want to raise another assassin up in her place.

The Kazekage was watching Baki, his expression suggesting that he had guessed some of Baki's thoughts.

"Well, if nothing else I am grateful that she is growing up under a woman's care. I was at a loss. This house is no place for a desert flower like Temari." He shrugged. "But, let me get to the point of your visit. I am sure you are curious to know what is to become of you."

Baki braced himself. He had failed in his last mission and was injured beyond recovery. There was only one thing left for him.

"I sent you on a mission that should have been mine, but I could not leave the village. I have my duties as Kazekage and now I have to watch over my son."

His eyes drifted over Baki's face, there was no pity in them. Baki was glad for that.

"You are an excellent shinobi Baki. There are so few skilled jounin left in this village these days and we cannot afford to lose any of them. The daimyo and his men are trying to reduce us to nothing because they fear us. But we are the Sand, one of the five great shinobi nations and that will not change while I live…"

He thumped a fist on the table, his considerable chakra rising with his emotions.

The Kazekage lifted his upper lip into a snarl, "They will not push us down! We are of the Sand!"

Baki felt his own chakra rise in response.

The Kazekage looked at him and nodded, "So there it is. And I think you feel the same way. However, if we are to remain strong we cannot continue as we have. The old days are gone. All out war is no longer a way of life. We must change if we expect to survive. As much as I hate to admit it, we need to take lessons from some of the other villages to do that. I am hoping that you will help me."

"Of course, Kazekage-sama. Anything I can do."

"Very good. First off, I would like you to join the council. There is a vacant seat and I would like it filled by an experienced shinobi. Someone who understands the realities of life in the field."

Baki felt his eye go wide. A seat on the council! It was something he had never even considered. He was too young and his family had none of the proper connections.

The Kazekage nodded, "I will take your expression to mean that you accept. Now as to the second thing I want…"

They were interrupted by noises from outside. There was a high pitched yell and a hissing noise. It sounded like a sand storm had started.

"Damn it," the Kazekage muttered.

He rose from his chair and went to a glass door that led outside. Baki followed, he was not sure what was happening, but the Kazekage should not be unguarded.

The Kazekage's residence included a fenced in yard. There was a covered sitting area outside the door, with a stone covered patio. There were chairs, a table, and a few potted plants. Swirling sand obscured most of the view.

"Gaara," the Kazekage bellowed. "Stop it right now!"

The swirling sand cleared away to reveal two boys. Baki had never seen the Kazekage's youngest son. The one-tailed demon's human vessel was small with dead eyes. His red hair pulsed against the backdrop of sand. He was controlling the sand with one hand. His other arm was stretched out and was twitching. He was watching it; there was no expression on his face.

The other boy had his face screwed up in a horrible scowling grimace. He was a little taller than Gaara with brown hair. He was buried in sand to above his knees. He had one hand stretched out as well and he was jerking it back and forth.

"That is enough, both of you. Stop this instant!"

The Kazekage walked between them and made another gesture. Gaara's arm fell to his side. He dropped his other hand and stood motionless, staring up at his father.

The sand flowed away from the taller boy. He shook his head, sending more sand flying. He coughed and glared at Gaara. He was dressed in a smaller version of the Kazekage's outfit; dark trousers with many pockets and a dark shirt. He kicked his feet, trying to get the sand out of his sandals.

"I was practicing. He started it," he yelled. He wiped at his face, which just smeared the sand around rather than removing it.

"He said the bad name again," Gaara said.

"He started it," the other repeated.

"I don't care who started it, it ends now," the Kazekage said. "Gaara, go to your room. This is Kankuro's day to practice in the yard. You know that. Now go."

Gaara waited until his father repeated the order and then walked into the house, followed by a cloud of sand and Kankuro's scowl. Just as Gaara disappeared into the house, Kankuro ran his tongue out at him.

"Kankuro. You know better than that. What have I told you about calling your brother names?"

Kankuro looked at his feet, his expression was sullen.

"Well."

"Don't say things that upset Gaara. We're not supposed to upset Gaara," he said, sounding like he was repeating a lesson learned by rote.

He looked up at his father, "But I hear other people calling him _that_ all the time."

"And what do we think about that."

He scuffed at the ground with one sandal, "Just because other people do it, doesn't make it right."

"Good." The Kazekage crouched in front of his son. "Kankuro, I wish you would get along with Gaara a little better. The two of you need to act more like brothers."

"Yes, otō-san. But…he's creepy. He's always sneaking up on me. And then there's…_it_." Kankuro shivered. "Are you sure he's my brother?"

"Yes, I am. Now," the Kazekage dusted his son off, "I have a little time before my meeting starts. How about you show me the results of all this practicing?"

Kankuro nodded.

"If you do not mind Baki will watch too. He is joining the council and is here for the meeting. Baki, I would like you to meet my son, Kankuro."

The boy stared at Baki with undisguised curiosity. Baki was no expert but he thought Kankuro was seven or eight years old. He was a small, sturdy boy with a round face. Kankuro cocked his head; Baki realized that he was trying to look underneath his scarf.

The Kazekage cleared his throat and nudged his son's shoulder.

Kankuro bowed, "Baki-san it is very nice to meet you."

"Good. Now let's get on with it."

"Yes otō-san."

The Kazekage gestured for Baki to take one of the chairs and he sat in another. There was a school bag on the table with a pile of books and papers beside it. Kankuro reached into the satchel and removed a cloth bag. He trotted over to the edge of the patio and set the bag down. He thought for a moment and then returned to the table. There was a small bowl of fruit on the table; Kankuro selected a pear and dusted it off. He rummaged around in the school bag until he found a marker. He began to scribble on the skin of the pear.

"Kankuro. We do not have all day."

"Yes otō-san. Ready now."

He held up the pear. The top had been coloured red and Kankuro had drawn eyes and a mouth. A crude kanji was scrawled above one of the eyes.

"Kankuro," his father sounded exasperated, but there was a smile tugging at the side of his mouth.

Kankuro shrugged, he looked unapologetic. He walked into the yard and set the pear down on the sand. He returned to the patio to stand beside the cloth bag. He opened it and removed the contents. It was a wooden toy. Baki had seen them before, this one was a wooden snake made up of about a dozen jointed pieces. It had black eyes and a piece of red leather for a tongue. Black scales were painted along its side and its body gleamed with lacquer. Baki thought that Kankuro would have been a little old to play with such a toy.

The boy placed the snake around his neck and looked at his father. The Kazekage gestured for him to get on with the demonstration. Kankuro placed his hands together under his chin, a look of intense concentration settling over his features. Baki lifted an eyebrow, the boy was going to demonstrate some jutsu; he had adopted a classic opening stance. Kankuro extended one hand out to his side and made a gesture. The wooden snake stirred and wound its way down his arm and dropped to the ground.

Baki's eye widened. This was the puppet technique! It was almost unheard of in the Sand village since the defection of Sasori of the Red Sands. Puppeteers had never been numerous, it took a long time to train someone and they were notoriously stingy with their secrets. Since Sasori's treachery, the art had fallen into disfavour. Baki knew that the Kazekage was proficient in various kinds of jutsu, you had to be to get kage status, but he had not known about this. The boy must have learned from him.

Baki was further amazed as he watched the demonstration. He had expected to see the little snake jerk its way to the pear. Instead, the toy slithered towards the fence, its movements far more sinuous than one might expect from something made of wood. It worked its way into one of the potted plants, winding into the branches. The small head appeared among the leaves and seemed to consider the pear sitting in the sand. Baki realized what the boy was doing; he was staging a show for the adults, having the little snake stalk its 'prey'. The snake left the cover of the plant and slithered along until it was behind the pear. Its head lifted up and looked around. Kankuro gestured and the snake dove into the sand, disappearing from view. Moments later the pear was tossed into the air by the snake. It fell back to the ground and was surrounded by wooden coils, only a little red peeped out near the top. Kankuro squeezed his hand into a fist and the coils tightened. There was a crunch and pulp squirted everywhere. The snake unwound from its victim and returned to Kankuro, circling up his arm to loop around his shoulder.

"The end," he said, looking up at his father. He was huffing from the exertion of chakra.

The Kazekage had left his chair to stand behind the boy as he had performed. He nodded, looking pleased. Kankuro removed the snake from his shoulder. He began to wipe pulp and pear juice from the toy with his shirt.

"Very good," the Kazekage said. He tousled the boy's hair. Kankuro grinned up at him. "You are coming along nicely." He raised one finger, "You still aren't paying attention though. I walked up right behind you and you did not notice."

The boy's grin vanished. He looked down at the snake in his hands and muttered something.

"Still, well done. What do you think, Baki?"

"Very impressive Kazekage-sama," Baki said.

It was nothing more than the truth. Puppet arts required a level of chakra control that some people never mastered, it was incredible to see it in such a young boy.

"See, there you have it. Even Baki is impressed and he is a famous jounin," the Kazekage rubbed the back of Kankuro's neck. The boy leaned into the caress, looking happy and content.

The Kazekage crouched in front of his son, "And I see that you are taking good care of your puppet. That is always the most important thing. Right?"

Kankuro nodded.

"So maybe you should get a rag just for him, rather than using your shirt, eh? Good. So, someone has a birthday coming up soon. Any thoughts about what you would like?"

"Yes otō-san. A kunai."

"Don't you have one already?"

Kankuro wrinkled his nose, "That's just a toy one, for little kids. I want a real one. Like his." He pointed at Baki.

"Is that so? Well, we shall see."

The Kazekage's thoughts seemed to drift for a moment. Then he stood and patted his son again.

"The others will be arriving soon, so I have to go. I have something new for you to practice." He led the boy onto the patio, closer to the house. "I would like to see you control him through the ground." He gestured for the boy to put the snake on the ground and then demonstrated what he meant. "See, I am keeping the chakra below the ground. It will be harder to work through the stone than through the sand."

Kankuro nodded.

"Good. I will leave you to try it. Stay here, close to the house."

"Yes otō-san."

Baki followed the Kazekage into the house and into his first council meeting. The men pulled benches and chairs around the large kitchen table and got down to the business of administering the Sand village. There were assignments to make, mission debriefings and intelligence reports to discuss, and judgments to make. And this afternoon a prosperous merchant was attending on behalf of some of his fellow merchants to report on the increasing number of attacks on convoys transporting goods from one land to another.

"…and it is not just bandits," the merchant, a man named Saito was saying. "There are more and more rogue shinobi among them. We can't deal with that. Facing a bandit with a wooden club or knife is one thing, most of my men have some training." He gestured at the young man who had accompanied him. "My son here for example is more than a match for most of them. But facing jutsu…no, we are just not up to it."

"You can request shinobi escort," one of the council members pointed out.

"Of course. We do that. And it is always worth the extra cost. But…well, here is the thing: it is not always possible to get enough manpower from this village to meet our needs. Therefore, I am asking that you look into the source of the problem, Kazekage-sama. Get rid of these rogue shinobi and the demand on your people will be reduced. I hate to say this, but more and more of my fellow businessmen are being forced to hire shinobi from other villages to deal with this problem. There seems to be a large pool of shinobi ideally suited for this sort of mission in other villages. The Leaf village in particular…"

"I do not believe what I am hearing! How dare you!" one of the other council members burst out. "Are you suggesting that the other villages are stronger than we are? You are just trying to get us to supply you with protection at a better price. Of all the…"

The Kazekage cut him off with a wave of his hand, "No, no I do not think that is what Saito-san is saying, Ibiki." He narrowed his eyes at the merchant. "At least I hope it isn't. What we have here is one of the consequences of our reduction in manpower. Ibiki, you have been one of the main proponents of that on behalf of the daimyo. Couldn't you see this as a possible outcome when you started to undermine the strength of this village?"

Ibiki sputtered his indignation, "This is…it has nothing to do with that. He is just trying to increase his profits, just like any filthy merchant."

Saito bristled, "Now see here! I am a supporter of the Sand. Always have been. And I would like to continue to be. It makes good business sense to buy my protection locally. But…well, you can understand my concern, Kazekage-sama. At the end of the day…"

The Kazekage nodded, "I see your point and your problem. I am curious about something. What is it about these other shinobi that makes them so well suited to your needs?"

"Well, now that's hard to say really," Saito looked at his son. "What do you think Eisuke?"

"There are a few things they do different. First off, they always work in teams during these missions. Each team is…"

He was interrupted by a loud tapping. The Kazekage frowned and swiveled his head towards the source of the noise. Baki looked too; from where he was sitting he could see the sliding door leading to the yard. Kankuro's little snake was at the entrance, banging on the glass with its head.

"Damn it, boy," the Kazekage muttered. "Pardon me one moment." He started to get up.

The snake was banging away at a furious, almost frantic pace. The Kazekage's frown deepened and then changed into a look of alarm. The snake had abruptly stopped banging and collapsed into a limp pile.

The Kazekage was out of his seat and out the door in a flash. Baki and several of the council members followed after.

Kankuro was nowhere to be seen in the yard. At the edge of the patio there was a mound of sand. As the Kazekage approached, Gaara stepped out from behind it.

"I have practiced too. This is my Sand Coffin."

The Kazekage's eyes went wide. He thrust his hand at the mound. When it did not yield to his touch, he drew his hand back and made a fist. He punched at the sand and cracks appeared on its surface. It started to collapse and the Kazekage was able to reach inside to drag Kankuro free.

The Kazekage knelt down, pulling the limp body into his lap. He said the boy's name and placed his fingers on his throat, feeling for a pulse. He moved his hand to his son's chest, palm down. He held it there for a moment, and Baki could sense the chakra flowing from him.

"Kankuro," he repeated and gave his shoulder a shake.

Kankuro's eyes flew open and he started to cough, taking big gasping gulps of air between the coughs.

The Kazekage turned him over so he could spit out sand. Someone handed him a damp cloth and he used it to wipe Kankuro's face. Then he held it to the boy's nose.

"Here, blow."

Kankuro took a big wheezy breath and did as he was told. He coughed and hacked and spit up more sand. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, with his father's hands on his back and arm. His eyes were huge as they rolled around, taking in all the people. His gaze landed on his brother.

"I…he. He tried to hurt my snake!" He choked out between gasps for air. "Creep! Stupid sand flea! I'll…" Kankuro lunged at his brother.

"That's enough," the Kazekage held on to Kankuro. "Gaara. Go."

"Did it hurt? When you almost lost him? How did it feel?" There was no inflection in Gaara's voice. It was hard to tell that he was asking a question.

"Go inside now!" the Kazekage roared.

Kankuro struggled against his father's grip, still breathing hard, his mouth drawn into a fierce scowl. Gaara stared at them for a few heart beats and then walked away.

"Kankuro, calm down."

The boy hunched his shoulders and muttered something. He started to tremble and, with a sudden wheeze, he burst into tears. The Kazekage pulled him into a hug, patting his back and murmuring into this ear. Kankuro pushed his face into his father's shoulder and sobbed.

"Gentleman, I apologize. But please, just give me a moment and then we can continue."

The men nodded or murmured their assent. Several were looking over their shoulders, watching Gaara's retreat and looking afraid.

The Kazekage walked back to the house, carrying his son. At the door he stopped and picked up the wooden snake. He gave it to Kankuro, who clutched it close. He had his other arm around his father's neck. He sniffed and hiccupped.

"Did you see?" he said in a small voice. "Did you see? I sent the chakra under the patio stones, in the ground. Just like you showed me."

The Kazekage put his hand on the back of his son's head and rubbed his hair, "I did. Very well done, Kankuro."

-0000-

The meeting lasted well into the evening. When they had returned to the kitchen Kankuro had fallen asleep as suddenly as he had started crying. He slept the entire time, sprawled across the Kazekage's lap. The wooden snake was curled around his shoulder and he had one chubby hand wrapped around its body.

They were discussing the upcoming chunin exams. The roster of candidates was set and they were putting together the list of dignitaries who would be invited to the final rounds. An invitation was a prized item, not only did spectators get to see shinobi from all five nations display their skills, but they also got the opportunity to see and be seen by important people from everywhere. Lords and council members prized the invitations as a sign of status and merchants like Saito wanted them because it gave them a chance to acquire new business contacts. The current list had fewer lords on it than many of the council members thought was appropriate.

"The Land of Wind must not be represented by his lot," Ibiki nodded at Saito; he was dead set against any merchants going. "How will it look to others?"

Saito took a deep calming breath and decided not to make any comment. It was always best to keep a civil tongue, but Ibiki made it very hard.

He belongs to another era, Saito thought, men like Ibiki are dragging this village down.

The Kazekage snorted, "It will look like the Land of Wind looks towards the future as well as the past. Ibiki, yet again I am surprised. If we shinobi are of so little use to the daimyo, then why are they so eager to watch us fight? Hmm?" He pushed the list they were discussing forward. "We are done. This is the final list."

He thumped his fist on the table to make his point. A tousled head popped up in response to the sound. Kankuro rubbed sleep out of his eyes and looked around the table, blinking owlishly.

"Perhaps we could take a break so you could put the boy to bed, Kazekage-sama." Ibiki suggested. "These meetings are not really appropriate for little children."

Kankuro pushed his head into his father's side and muttered something. Baki was sitting close and to him it sounded very much like 'creep'.

"Hmm, maybe." There was a touch of laughter in the Kazekage's voice.

"Nonsense," Saito said. "Best way for the boy to learn, by watching his father." He gestured at his son. "I started taking my lad with me as soon as he could walk."

Eisuke grinned and winked at Kankuro. At nineteen he was a slimmer version of his father. He was the one who had brought the wet towel out to the Kazekage. Kankuro smiled shyly at him.

Ibiki sniffed, "It is hardly the same thing. Just because he is the Kazekage's son, it does not mean anything. And besides, he will disrupt us."

"He looks old enough to sit still to me," Saito said. He knew that is was a petty thing to do, but irritating Ibiki after all his snide comments during the meeting would make him feel better. "It might help if he had a little something to eat. Eisuke, see if you can find the boy something to eat. Ah, er,…if that acceptable, Kazekage-sama?"

The Kazekage grinned, "An excellent idea. Do you think you can sit quietly while we talk, Kankuro?"

The boy nodded, he was scowling at Ibiki.

"Well good, that's settled." Eisuke said. "C'mon Kankuro, help me. I think I saw some dumplings leftover from our meal."

Kankuro slid off the bench to follow the young man.

Saito watched them go, "Sturdy boy. And tough too. To have that thing…" he stopped, remembering that it was the Kazekage's other son he was talking about. "I…uh…"

The Kazekage nodded, "I understand, Saito-san. Sometimes it is hard to remember that it is my youngest son behind that creature." He was silent a moment and then rubbed his hands together. "Let's move on shall we."

-0000-

Temari looked at her brother and sighed. Kankuro was looking around the room, his nose wrinkled in distaste. They were at her sensei's house. The Kazekage was away for the afternoon and had asked if Kankuro could spend some time with his sister. Temari knew what it really meant; he needed someone to watch Kankuro because he was too little to be on his own (no one ever seemed to have that same concern about Gaara). She hated babysitting. The adults had made it seem like a big deal, saying that it was a big responsibility, but that was just another way of saying that she was getting more work to do.

It did not look like Kankuro was enjoying the idea much either. A scowl had joined the nose wrinkling and he had his shoulders hunched up.

"This place is creepy," he muttered.

It was one of those types of rooms that he hated. Everything was too clean, too perfect. It meant that you had to move around without touching anything or getting anything dirty. There were fans all over the walls, the kind you looked at and did not use. Kankuro thought that was stupid. He squinted at one that was covered in carvings; the carvings were boring but he thought that the fan might be made of bone. That was neat, he looked a little closer.

"Hey, it has sharp edges," he stepped towards it.

"Don't touch that!" Temari slapped at his reaching hand. "Just sit down and do your homework." She pointed at the seat she wanted him to take.

Kankuro grumbled but did as she ordered. He dumped his books out of his school bag onto the table in an untidy heap. He set the bag with his snake aside more carefully. Temari frowned, a drift of sand had spilled out of the school bag.

"Be careful. You're getting sand everywhere."

"Am not. Stop being bossy."

He selected a book and thumped it down in front of him; slapping it down harder than he had to, so that there was a little puff of sand. It was not his fault that there was sand all over his stuff. They did live in the desert after all and Gaara seemed to trail sand everywhere he went.

Temari made a tsking sound.

"Little boys are nasty."

She sounded just like her sensei, Kankuro thought.

"Girls are stupid."

"Well then," she sniffed, "I guess I won't be able to help you when you get stuck with your homework."

She sniffed again and bent over her homework. Kankuro stuck his tongue out at her before opening his book.

They worked in silence for some time. Children being trained as shinobi were expected to take book work just as seriously as their physical training.

After awhile, Temari looked up and stretched her neck. Kankuro was doing math, and was totally focused on the numbers in front of him, face screwed up in concentration. One hand was wrapped around a pencil and the other lay flat on the table, fingers moving a little. His feet were swinging too.

She peered at the work. He had not asked for any help and it looked like he did not need it. He was progressing through the page of sums and subtractions at a good pace and the work she could see was correct. His writing was neater than that of some of the boys and girls in her own class.

Kankuro reached the end of the page and looked up. He scowled at her.

"What? Stop staring at me."

Temari wrinkled her nose at him. Kankuro made a face, crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out.

"When it sticks like that people will stare at you all the time."

"That's stupid."

He bent back over his work, changing from math to spelling. His face resumed its intent look.

Temari smiled and bent over her own work. Kankuro was funny with all his yelling and the way he was always making faces. He was trying to be tough, but most of the time it was sort of cute.

Voices murmured somewhere in the house. Temari recognized her sensei's voice and the deeper male tone as Baki's. Temari listened harder, she heard something familiar in her sensei's tone; she was not pleased. They were keeping their voices down, but Temari could just make out what they were saying.

"You have done enough, given enough. Just say no to this."

"No, I want to do it. It means I can still be of use to the village."

"It is madness. You cannot become guardian to that…thing."

"This is how we will make the best use of its power. And it is not just about controlling him. This approach to training is the way we will regain our strength as a village."

"I do not care what lies you tell each other about it. I cannot believe he would do that to his other children. It will be their deaths…and yours."

"Not if it works."

Their voices faded away as they moved into another room.

"Does she always sound all cross like that?"

"What?" Temari had missed the question, she was concentrating on figuring out what she had overheard.

"Your sensei, she always looks and sounds bothered. And she's so old."

"Idiot. She is stronger than most of the shinobi in this village."

"No way. Not otō-san. I bet that Baki is stronger too and he's only got one eye."

"Humph. That just shows what you know…nothing. She probably taught him everything he knows. She's his older sister."

Kankuro snorted in disbelief, "No way."

"Oh, yes way. She probably taught him all his wind sword techniques."

"That's not what you are learning. There's no swords here, just stupid fans."

"You really don't know anything. The fans are weapons, even better then some sword." Temari made a sweeping gesture with one hand. "Defense and offense in one move and they are easier to conceal. Any idiot can learn to use a sword."

"No way. You can't do anything with fans. It's a useless technique."

Temari sniffed, "Better than that silly toy of yours."

"It's not a toy!"

"Keep it down, you'll get us in trouble."

"It's not a toy!" Kankuro hissed. "Otō-san gave it to me and he said it was just like the weapons that the puppet masters used to have. And they could beat stupid fan techniques any day!"

"Oh, please," Temari rolled her eyes. She waved her hand at him. "Three moves and you would be done."

"No way," Kankuro scoffed. He pushed his books aside and reached for the bag holding his snake. "You'd never catch him, he's too fast."

"Pffft."

Temari eyed the fans on the wall. She had did not have her own and she was not allowed to keep the ones she practiced with when she was not training. But she was not going to tell Kankuro that. The fans in the room looked like a lot like the ones she used, but they were smaller. That should make them easier to use. Temari was pretty sure she could take one off the wall, smack the stupid toy across the room, and put it back without her sensei noticing. She certainly was not going to back down from her little brother. Kankuro had the snake out. It was sitting up on the table, its head weaving from side to side, taunting her.

She pushed her own books aside, "You'd better not cry when that thing gets broken."

Kankuro wrinkled his nose at her. He made a gesture and the snake darted forward. Temari's books fell to the floor.

"Get your stupid fan and we'll see who cries."

-0000-

Kankuro peeked over at Temari and then looked back down at the floor, where the broken vase sat between the two children and the two adults. His sister looked upset and a little scared. Every time her sensei looked at her, she would cringe. Kankuro scowled at the old lady. It was not Temari's fault, he thought. If the old lady did not want things to get broken she should not put stuff up on high shelves.

Baki was frowning at them but had not said anything.

"…and boy, do not think that I cannot see you shooting dirty looks at me."

Baki's sister produced a small fan from her sleeve and began to fan herself.

"What I was thinking when I let such children into this house I will never know. Girl, if you have not even developed a little common sense after all the effort I have put into your training then I see no reason to continue."

Temari's eyes went wide, "No sensei, please, let me stay. I will try harder."

She bowed to her teacher. Kankuro thought that she might cry. He looked at the vase again. It was just a stupid vase. The way she was acting made it seem like it was the last one in the world. Kankuro knew that was not true. He had seen hundreds just like it the other day when Eisuke had shown him around his father's warehouse. They were exactly the same as this one, right down to the little sticker on the bottom that read 'Made in the Land of Fire'.

The old lady had said something else and now Temari was crying. Kankuro scowled at her again.

"Leave her alone. It's not her fault. I did it."

Well, that was partly true. Kankuro had sent his snake up on the shelf to avoid Temari's fan. It had been hiding behind the vase. Kankuro had directed the snake to stick its head out to taunt Temari and she had tried to slice it with the edge of the fan. She had missed and hit the vase instead, slicing it in half and knocking it to the floor.

It had been pretty cool, Kankuro thought, she had sliced that vase like it had been paper. The cuts were so clean that they might have been able to glue it back together if it had not fallen to the ground, smashing into many pieces and bringing the adults into the room.

"You did it? Do not lie to me. Perhaps you provoked her, but she should have known better than to use any of the fans in here." The fan snapped shut and tapped on the broken vase. "This did not just fall."

"I did it," Kankuro repeated. "I took a fan down and was playing with it. She told me to stop, but I didn't. I broke your stupid vase."

Temari gasped and said his name.

The fan snapped open and Baki's sister resumed fanning herself. She narrowed her eyes at the boy. His hands were clenched into fists on his lap, his jaw was set in a stubborn line, and he was scowling. He looked like a miniature version of his father and he was obviously lying to protect his sister.

Her fan snapped shut again, "If that is the case, then you will be punished for breaking it and she will be punished for letting you."

"But she…" Kankuro started.

"Kankuro," Baki rumbled in warning.

The fan tapped Baki on the shoulder, "I will leave it up to you to decide how he should be punished. I will see to the girl." The fan tapped again, a little harder. "I am sure it is just the first of many punishments you will hand out to this boy." This time the fan smacked Baki's shoulder with enough force to sting. "So take him and go."

Kankuro trudged along beside Baki as they walked home, silent and sullen. Baki was at a complete loss. He knew nothing about children. What was an appropriate punishment for an eight year old? Could he even presume to punish the Kazekage's son? The only thing he knew for certain was that he was making a very bad start of his new mission.

"Is she really your sister?"

"Yes, she is." Baki looked down at Kankuro.

"And she was a shinobi?"

"Yes. She still is."

"But she doesn't look like one."

"Oh, and what is a shinobi supposed to look like?"

"Like you, or otō-san. She didn't even have a kunai. Although…" Kankuro trailed off, looking thoughtful. "That fan was pretty sharp. Could you slice a person, the same way Temari…uh…I sliced that vase?"

Baki raised his eyebrow. The boy shrugged; he knew that he had been caught, but he was unapologetic.

"So. Could you?"

"Yes, you could. Kankuro, why did you lie like that?"

Another shrug, "Temari was afraid. She can't punish me like she can Temari, so…" Kankuro stopped, he could not quite put it into words. Something else occurred to him. "Do you have to tell otō-san?"

"Yes. I think I will let you tell him though."

Kankuro's face fell, "We didn't mean to."

"I should hope not."

"We can get her a new one," his face brightened a little.

"What do you mean?"

Kankuro explained.

Baki nodded, "That might be good idea. If you gave it to her with an apology." He gave Kankuro a hard look. "A sincere apology."

Kankuro wrinkled his nose. He did not like the apology part, but…

"If I do that, then otō-san won't need to know, right?"

"No, I am afraid not."

Kankuro sighed.

The Kazekage added to Kankuro's punishment by sending him to bed without dinner. He also confiscated the snake, saying the Kankuro could not use it for a week. This upset the boy more than anything else. He stomped off to bed, muttering to himself, almost in tears.

The Kazekage frowned at his son's retreating back. Among the mutterings of 'no fair' and 'stupid' he had thought that he had heard another word. He was going to have to be more careful about what he said around his son.

"Language, Kankuro. Or would you like to try for two weeks?"

He was tired. He had spent a good portion of the day in the desert with Gaara. You could not exactly call what they did training, but the workouts seemed to help keep Gaara, or rather the demon, calm. And if the Kazekage's plan was going to work then it was very important that his son learned to manage the demon's rages.

The Kazekage ran his hand through his hair, raising a cloud of sand, "So, Baki, tough day in the trenches, eh? Sometimes I would rather have a month of S ranks than deal with that boy. Either boy actually."

Baki bowed and apologized.

"Nothing to apologize for. You are in for a rough time I am afraid. I am encouraged by one thing, though. It is good to see him jump to his sister's defense like that. Now if we can just get him to do that for his brother." He chuckled. "So, he lied to your sister. That takes balls. I'd never try it, she's a tough one." His thoughts drifted elsewhere. "Another tough one. I visited _her_ this morning, Baki."

"Her?"

"The grand old lady herself. I just about had to grab that fishing pole of hers away to get her attention, but she listened to my request. I am sure that she will refuse to do what the council wants, but I did get some useful things from her. It is about time she stopped mourning that grandson of hers. It is time for her to pass on what she knows."

"Oh, her…Chiyo-baa-sama."

"Yes, her. You are going to teach my children to work together, Baki, but Kankuro will eventually need another sort of training as well. And she is the one who will do it, one way or another, just as your sister is doing. Too many highly skilled shinobi are just fading away, without passing on what they know. If we are to remain strong, this must stop. She has been through a lot, it is true, but we still need her. And your sister."

-0000-

Temari sat in a swing in the school yard, reading a book and trying not to be bothered by Gaara's presence. He seemed calm, but Temari was still nervous. Three nights ago Gaara had killed a man. Her brother had been out walking the streets as he did sometimes when a drunk had accosted him, yelling insults and waving a knife. When he tried to stab Gaara, the boy's defenses had lashed out at the man, crushing him.

They were waiting for Baki. He was spending more and more time with them. It was not really training, at least not in Temari's opinion, but that is what they called it. Mostly they went over basic skills and tried to get Gaara to act normal.

A whistling sound overhead followed by a whoop caused her to look up. It was Kankuro's snake. It had been released from its grounding five days ago and Kankuro had played with it almost non-stop ever since. His newest trick was to make the toy fly through the air. The wind would whistle through the joints, making an irritating noise. So, of course, Kankuro was doing just that at every opportunity.

The snake whizzed by Temari's ear and then swooped around Kankuro's head. He laughed and gestured to make the snake fly faster. Her brother treated the thing like it was alive. The way he ran and tumbled with it looked like he was playing with a dog or some other pet. Temari knew that shinobi who used animals were very attached to them. This seemed like the same thing, except that it was a wooden toy and not a living creature.

Temari sighed. Both her brothers were weird.

Kankuro ran over to her and flopped down on the ground huffing and puffing. The snake swirled in figure-eights above him.

He sat up and the snake settled to the ground, "Hey, hey Temari, did you see? He's got a different head. See."

He pointed. The snake swiveled its head around so Temari could see it. Its original head had been replaced. The new head was bigger with a jaw that opened and shut. It was also equipped with fangs and a very real looking tongue.

Kankuro made the jaw open and shut while the body swayed from side to side. Dark, shiny eyes glittered at Temari.

"And see, the fangs are hollow. There is a little compartment in the head. For poison. It's so cool." He grinned.

Temari wrinkled her nose, "You've shown me that about twenty times already. That's creepy."

"It's not. It's…badass." Kankuro said the last word fast, trying to look like he used such language all the time.

"Kankuro! Stop that! You'll get in trouble. And not around Gaara. He's too little."

Kankuro made a face, "Psssh. He hears worse all the time."

"Well, he shouldn't hear it from you."

"Humph. But Temari you haven't seen this yet, it's new." He pointed at one of the joints below the snake's head.

"I am still trying to…"

Kankuro's face screwed up in concentration and he gestured. There were slits along the joint Kankuro had indicated and something slowly folded out from them. A piece of leather spread out below the snake's head. It was painted to resemble a cobra's hood.

"It's stiff. But…"

The snake reared up with its mouth open and the leather hood stretched all the way out. There was a soft hissing sound. The thing looked and sounded all too real.

"Snakes do not fly."

Both Temari and Kankuro flinched at Gaara's flat tone. Kankuro jumped to his feet. The snake jumped to his arm and wound its way up to his shoulder. Kankuro wrapped one hand around it protectively.

"Gaara?"

"Snakes do not fly, so why should that? It has no point. There is no reason it should make you look that way. It is just wood."

Something like a frown crossed Gaara's face. Temari was not sure if she should take it as a warning or as a sign of curiosity. He had never shown much interest in his brother and sister, unless he wanted to practice a technique. Temari remembered some of his early attempts, before she had moved out. She wondered if he snuck up on Kankuro now, when he was asleep, trying to manipulate sand around him. She hoped not.

"That's true Gaara," she said, keeping her voice as pleasant as possible, "but it's okay for Kankuro to pretend that it can fly. It makes him happy."

"Temari!"

She flapped a hand at Kankuro. It was important to keep Gaara calm.

"Happiness? From a thing. That's not it. It's because it came from him. _He_ gave it to you. So you think he loves you."

Kankuro backed up several paces. He had wrapped both hands around the snake and was scowling at Gaara. His whole body had gone tense. Gaara had slid off the swing and was facing his brother. A fine mist of sand hovered around him.

Temari gulped and looked around. There was no one else in the yard. She wished Baki would come soon. Kankuro looked like he was about to explode into one of his yelling fits and that never had a good effect on Gaara.

"That's true Gaara," her voice sounded high pitched and scared in her ears. She tried to sound calmer as she continued. "Otō-san loves us all. He gives you things too, right? He spends a lot of time with you too. Remember yesterday. He showed you how to make an eyeball with the sand. Right?"

"Creepy technique," Kankuro muttered.

"Kankuro," she hissed.

"He wants to use us all for his own purposes. It is the only reason why anyone does anything."

"That's not true. You take that back right now!" Kankuro yelled.

Temari got off the swing and stepped between them. She made placating gestures at both her brothers, "That's not entirely true, Gaara. He wants us to be strong because he loves us. That's for our own good and the good of the village. He…"

"You are a fool if you believe that," Gaara cut her off. He paused. "Baki is here. He teaches me things I can use for my own purposes." He turned and walked away from his brother and sister.

Kankuro muttered something extremely rude.

"Kankuro! Where are you learning these things?"

"It's not true, what he is saying. Not true." Kankuro's knuckles were white he was clenching them so hard around the snake's body and his own body was trembling. He always got worked up so easily.

"I know that. And so do you." She forced herself to grin. "Should someone with a badass snake care what anyone else thinks?"

Kankuro scowled at her. He knew what she was doing, trying to distract him. Then he grinned and shrugged, the tension leaving his body abruptly.

"You said badass," he snickered. "Girls aren't supposed to swear."

"Neither are little boys. C'mon Kankuro let's go. Maybe Baki will let you use his kunai again."

"Right. I can show him the new stuff in my snake."

Kankuro ran towards the tall jounin.

Temari followed slowly. She heaved a huge sigh of relief.

That could have been bad, really bad, she thought. If this was the way their little team was going to operate; with Gaara and Kankuro fighting and her making peace all the time, she was not so sure that she wanted to be a member.

-0000-

"Is he going to be okay?" Temari looked up at Baki.

Baki peered into the darkened bedroom. He ran his hand over his face. He looked at his sister.

She nodded, "I believe he will be. This is the biggest problem with puppet users. When they lose a puppet, they go all to pieces. That is why they do not let children get too attached to the puppets they train on. What was the Kazekage thinking to let the boy bond so closely with that thing?" Her mouth pinched into an expression of distaste. "Where is the other…boy?"

"The Kazekage went after him. To try and calm him down. And to make sure he does no additional damage."

"This cannot be allowed to continue."

"But we can't just give up on Gaara," Temari protested. "It's not his fault. There has to be some way…" she stopped when she saw the look her sensei was giving her. She swallowed. "Thank-you so much for helping us. I didn't know what else to do."

"You did the best you could. I am pleased to see that you did not lose your head, girl. I am sure that my otōto-chan was no help. Men usually are not in these situations."

Baki went redand sputtered a denial.

"Oh, really." A fan had appeared in her hand and it pointed into the bedroom. "So why was he allowed to become hysterical? And how did it come to pass that his brother was able to destroy the puppet? Aren't you supposed to watch over him?"

"It's not Baki-sensei's fault," Temari said. "It's hard to keep track of Gaara. He's like the sand. He just appears, like out of nowhere. We were inside with him, we were playing chess and he was watching. And then…he was gone… Gaara probably snuck up on him. When Kankuro is concentrating on something, you can sneak right up on him. And then… By the time we got outside it was too late."

Temari looked at her feet, "I don't know why, but that snake bothered him. I mean as much as anything does. Maybe it's because…because it made Kankuro so happy. He was trying to get the snake's eyes to blink. Kankuro that is. He was going on and on about it. It was starting to bug me, so I made him go outside. If I hadn't done that…"

She had no idea what had set Gaara off so suddenly. He had been there and then was gone. Kankuro had started yelling. By the time Temari and Baki had run outside Gaara had manipulated sand into a large fist and had crushed the wooden snake, grinding it to pieces the way a man might crumble soil between his fingers. Gaara had immobilized Kankuro in sand, leaving his head and shoulders free so he could see what had happened to the toy.

Once they had gotten him out of the sand, Kankuro had become hysterical and Baki and Temari had been unable to calm him down. Finally, Temari ran and got her sensei. She had reluctantly agreed to help. She had eyed the sobbing boy for a moment and then instructed Temari to make tea and had Baki take Kankuro into his room. Kankuro had not wanted to leave the remains of the snake behind. He had twisted and kicked and struggled, making it almost impossible to move him. It was like trying to hold onto an angered cat. Eventually Baki got him into his room and they forced the tea into him. Temari had not seen her sensei add anything, but not long after Kankuro had fallen asleep.

"He made Kankuro watch. He knew…" Temari shivered. Gaara had almost been smiling. That had been the worst part.

-0000-

The Kazekage looked down at his son. He was not sure what Baki's sister had given him, but it was powerful. Kankuro had not moved for hours. He placed his hand on Kankuro's shoulder and squeezed, saying the boy's name as he did.

Kankuro's eyes opened slowly and then widened when he saw his father. He gasped and started to tremble.

"He snuck up on me. I am sorry. I tried to stop him. It was too small to do anything against all that sand. He…it's..."

"It's all right."

The Kazekage rocked him back and forth, rubbing his back and neck until Kankuro calmed down. He held on to the boy even after his body had relaxed into sleep again. He knew that something like this would happen eventually, but he had hoped that it would have been after his sons were able to fight on even terms.

The Kazekage had sacrificed his youngest son and wife to create a weapon for the village. He had allowed the demon to be transferred to a human host, so it was his responsibility to make sure it did not destroy the village and was put to good use. His daughter had been sent away to train as an assassin in case they had to kill the demon's vessel, and he was responsible for the death of his brother-in-law. The Kazekage had hoped that Baki, Temari, and Kankuro would work together to give Gaara and the demon a sense of purpose and to help direct his rage. But this approach was not working as the Kazekage had hoped and the council was pressuring him to do something. So, now he would give his remaining child up too. He had hoped that he might be allowed to keep Kankuro. That did not seem like much to ask in return for the other sacrifices he had made to keep the village alive and strong.

"Since I'm not having any success controlling him that way, there is only one thing left to do," he murmured. "Chiyo will have to agree to it. She will do this one last thing in exchange for a replacement for her grandson."

The Kazekage felt a sudden surge of guilt, he felt them often, but this time it gave him something like a stab of pain. He hugged Kankuro closer and felt the boy's arms tighten in response.

"He's still too young. I shouldn't even consider it…"

He shook his head, deep down he knew that he had already decided. What he was doing now was stalling, just to keep the boy with him a little longer. That was all he wanted, just a little more time.

The Kazekage was gone when Kankuro woke up the next morning. Baki was there and told Kankuro that his father had left early to run an errand. He had returned soon after, looking upset. He sent Gaara off with Baki with instructions to go into the desert and practice techniques. Temari had returned to her sensei's house, so the Kazekage was alone with his son.

Kankuro was quiet and withdrawn. He was not interested in his breakfast and would not meet his father's eyes. Kankuro had seen the look on his father's face when he had entered the kitchen; he was mad. It had to be because Kankuro had lost the snake. He had not taken good care of the toy and now it was gone and his father hated him for it.

"Kankuro."

His voice was small and tired, "I know. I was supposed to take care of him. I wasn't paying attention. You always say…" he sniffed.

"Gaara is too strong for you. We should have been watching him."

Kankuro's face screwed up into a scowl and his hands clenched into fists, "Not true! I'll get him! He was just too small against all that sand. I couldn't make him do anything to stop it. I wasn't fast enough. If only I had…a real kunai…or something. Then I'd make him sorry."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Kankuro."

The thought of Kankuro facing Gaara with a kunai horrified the Kazekage. Something that was obviously a weapon would activate the demon's defenses and provoke a vicious response. A kunai would be no good at all; Kankuro would be killed for certain.

"But he just laughed at the snake. He said it was nothing. That it was…useless. He's wrong! You said puppet techniques could be stronger than a whole army. Right?"

"That is right."

The Kazekage looked at his son and made a decision.

"All right then. Go into the yard and wait for me Kankuro. I have something to give you."

Kankuro's eyes brightened, "A kunai?"

"No."

"What?"

"Go. Wait and you will see."

Kankuro made a face, but he did as he was told.

The Kazekage carried a large object, bundled in canvas into the yard. He set it down on the patio and stepped away.

Kankuro stared at it. It was most definitely not a kunai. The bundle was almost as tall as he was. He looked at his father; he was staring at it too. Kankuro recognized the look on his face. It was the same look he got sometimes when the council made him do stuff that he did not think was a good idea.

The Kazekage sighed heavily and dropped his gaze to his son.

"I was thinking to give you this for your birthday. So, we will just call it an early present."

Kankuro pulled the canvas away to expose the puppet's shaggy head. His gasped in delight. He tugged harder on the canvas to remove it from around the body. He put his hands on the face, running them over the eyes, jaw hinges, and the maker's mark on the chin. He lifted one of the arms, struggling a little with the weight.

He looked over his shoulder, eyes wide with amazement, "It's a puppet. A real one, right?"

The Kazekage nodded, "His name is Karasu."

"Hello, Karasu."

The Kazekage shivered as he watched the boy explore the limbs, fumbling with the latches and springs that exposed compartments containing weapons; kunai, poisoned needles, and bombs. Kankuro bent a hand back to reveal an empty chamber.

"What goes in here?"

"A blade fits in there."

"Where is it? Can I try it?"

"We will add all the other things later, once you show me you can control and care for him responsibly. This is no toy, Kankuro. It is a weapon."

He knelt by his son.

"Do you understand? This puppet was made by Sasori of the Red Sands, the great puppet master. It is a treasure of the village. You must take very good care of him."

"I will. I promise," Kankuro looked solemn. Then he grinned and threw his arms around his father's neck. "Thank-you otō-san. He is the best present ever."

The Kazekage hugged his son tightly. He cleared his throat.

"I am glad."

He did not let go until Kankuro started to wiggle. He was impatient to try the puppet.

"So. Let's see what you can make him do. Start with something simple. Maybe an arm."

Kankuro nodded and pressed his palms together, centering himself as his father had taught him to do before using puppet techniques. He stretched his arms out and allowed chakra to flow from his fingers.

For a moment nothing happened, then the fingers on one of Karasu's hands twitched. They fluttered and then flexed and the puppet made a fist. The wrist rotated and then the arm began to move. Another arm started to move, stretching out to its full length. Somewhere in the puppet's body a gear clicked as it turned and the puppet rose to its feet.

Kankuro concentrated harder, trying to coordinate the movement of all the limbs and the gears in the puppet's body. This was so much harder than working the snake. Chakra was flowing from his body so fast that it hurt. But there was another, more pleasant, sensation too; it made his arms and spine tingle. Kankuro felt something inside him lift. The puppet was big and strong with the heavy wood of his arms and torso and his metal spine. He would make this puppet, Karasu, fly.

"Kankuro. That is enough for now."

Kankuro did not hear him, his whole attention was on the puppet. The Kazekage could see chakra flowing from his hands. As always he was amazed at the amount of energy contained in his son's small body.

He reached out touched Kankuro on the back of his neck, "Enough Kankuro. That's a good start."

The puppet settled back to the ground, but Kankuro still maintained the chakra strings.

"I want him to fly," he panted.

"He will. But not today."

The Kazekage looked over his shoulder. Baki and Gaara had returned. They were early.

The jounin looked tired. He saw Karasu and his expression underwent several changes; he looked surprised and then something like disapproval crossed his face. Finally he looked down at Gaara and his expression became worried.

Baki could not believe it. The Kazekage had given his son a puppet. And not just any puppet; it was one of the large battle puppets. Loaded with poison, explosives, and steel, they could do more damage than a dozen shinobi. It was some form of insanity to put such a deadly thing in the hands of a child. It was almost as tall as the boy, there was no way he was going to be able to carry it, let alone control it. Baki glanced at Gaara. What would he think? Worse, what would he do?

"Baki, Gaara. So how did it go? Did he practice the techniques like I wanted?" The Kazekage walked towards his youngest son.

Gaara was staring at Karasu. He was not sure whether or not it was a threat. Because so many things had tried to kill him in his short life, his first reaction to anything new was to wonder if it was going to try and kill him. The object sitting in the yard was wood and metal imitating a living thing. It was much like the snake which had no purpose, other than making his brother laugh. It had been easier to destroy the snake than to figure out if it was friend or foe. And watching Kankuro's reaction had made him feel something like pleasure. His brother was a strange creature, he seemed to feel everything so strongly. Gaara could not figure out why he was like that. Why had his father given him another one of these things? Did he not know that Gaara could just crush it too? Maybe that was why, to give Gaara practice. Maybe his father also enjoyed the pain it would cause Kankuro.

What happened next was so quick that neither adult had a chance to stop it. Kankuro spread his arms out wide and so did the puppet. He swept his arms forward and the puppet launched into the air, straight at Gaara.

The puppet crashed into Gaara, knocking the breath out of him. Before any of his defenses had a chance to react, the puppet's arms had wrapped around him and were squeezing tight. He was lifted off the ground, out of contact with sand and soil.

Gaara struggled, kicking his feet and trying to summon sand, but he could not move his arms and the ground was too far away. The puppet's limbs wound tighter and tighter. He could not breathe. Gaara felt something he had never known before. This had to be pain. This hurt!

"Kankuro!" Baki and the Kazekage yelled together.

Kankuro snarled and gestured to make Karasu grip his brother harder. This was only fair after what had happened to his snake. It was hard though, he was not sure that he could keep it up for much longer. But it was exhilarating to have the large puppet obey him. Karasu had moved so fast, even faster than his snake. And he was strong. Now Gaara was going to be scared of Kankuro for a change.

"Kankuro! Let him go now!"

The Kazekage made a cutting gesture with one hand, severing Kankuro's connection to Karasu. The puppet relaxed its grip and Gaara slipped free to fall to the ground.

Kankuro gasped, that had hurt, but he had to be ready for an attack from his brother. He stretched his hands out to reconnect with the puppet before it could fall to the ground. The Kazekage was holding onto Gaara, so he could not attack his brother again. Kankuro made the puppet return to him. He stood in front of Karasu, ready for an attack.

The Kazekage had Gaara by the shoulders. The boy was gasping and moaning with one hand pressed to his face.

"Gaara! You have to concentrate. Keep it in. Keep it under control."

"That hurt! He hurt me!" he moaned.

"I know, but you are all right now. He did not mean it."

"Oh yes I did!" Kankuro yelled. He was panting from the exertion. "And just leave us alone or I'll do it again!"

The Kazekage scowled over his shoulder at Kankuro and then turned back to Gaara. For some reason, the demon had not recognized the puppet as a threat.

The Kazekage tightened his grip on Gaara's arms, "You will be all right, as long as you leave him alone. Do you understand?"

Gaara trembled from the effort of keeping the demon under control. He could not understand what had just happened. It was something completely new to him.

"But… How could he? It is just wood. It is nothing."

"Not to Kankuro it isn't. Things are important to people too, for what they represent. There are many things important to people that you cannot understand. Maybe Kankuro can help you to understand these things. Hmm, what do you think?"

"No way! I…"

"Kankuro! Quiet!" the Kazekage cut him off.

"How could _that_ help me…help us with anything?"

"That is what you will have to learn. With Baki's help. And Temari's and Kankuro's. Then you will have ample opportunity to rage as you please, for your own pleasure."

"How soon?"

"As soon as you three learn to work as a team."

Gaara removed his hand from his face and regarded his brother. Kankuro was standing in front of Karasu, glaring at him.

"Very well. But tell them to get stronger fast. I will not wait forever."

He turned and left the yard.

The Kazekage heaved a sigh of relief. He could not believe it. Kankuro's impulsive and reckless behaviour had somehow accomplished something that the Kazekage had been trying to do for months.

He turned to his other son, "Boy, what did I just tell you about being responsible?! I should…"

"Nooo!" Kankuro howled.

He stepped back so he was pressed against Karasu's chest. He pulled one of the puppet's arms over his shoulder and grasped the limb tightly. He was taking big gasping gulps of air and was swaying on his feet.

"Don't take him away! He's okay. No one can hurt him."

When the Kazekage took another step closer, the puppet's limbs started to move. The Kazekage stopped. Kankuro had pushed himself to the edge, using far too much chakra. If he continued to manipulate the puppet he might do some permanent damage to himself.

"No one is going to take him from you, Kankuro. He's yours. But you have to learn to be more careful. The two of you are not invincible."

Kankuro gave him a suspicious look, "Do you promise?"

"I do. Now just relax. We should put him away for now. Tomorrow, you can start to learn to use him properly and how to take care of him."

Kankuro dropped his hands and Karasu's limbs relaxed. The Kazekage knelt in front of his son.

"Boy, do you have any idea how much you scared me just now?"

Kankuro hunched his shoulders and looked down, "I'm sorry."

He peeked at his father and grinned tentatively, "But did you see? I made him fly. He was so fast. Did you see?"

The Kazekage made an exasperated noise and picked Kankuro up; he was about to fall over. Kankuro wrapped his arms around his father's neck.

"You are getting too heavy for this. And too old for temper tantrums."

Kankuro muttered something into his father's shoulder and hugged him harder.

"Hmm, is that so? Well, let's put Karasu away. I have a spot for him in the work shop. Baki, do you mind bringing him?"

"Of course, Kazekage-sama."

"No!" Kankuro's head popped up. He scowled at Baki over the Kazekage's shoulder, "He's mine. I'll bring him."

He removed one arm from around his father's neck and gestured, ignoring his father's protest. The puppet jerked to its feet, swaying in place. Father and son went into the house, followed by the puppet. After a moment, Baki followed them.


	3. A Missed Opportunity

Three-A Missed Opportunity

"Gaara left him alone after that day," Baki said. "And about a year and a half later they started doing missions as a team. They were far too young, but Gaara needed…the release." He took a drink. "Ebizo-jii-sama, does this help? The Kazekage never sent Kankuro away for training with your sister or with you. Does this tell you why?"

"I suppose we will never know for certain, but I believe that he did try to get my sister to take Kankuro as a pupil. I think he tried to use the boy as a bribe."

"A bribe?"

"Yes. He came back one more time and talked to my sister after he had taken the puppets. The council had demanded that the Kazekage do something about Gaara when he started to get out of control. It was ridiculous, they were the ones who had demanded that the Kazekage raise the demon in the first place. In any case, he came to my sister and asked her to remove the demon from Gaara and reseal it in its previous prison. I think he offered Kankuro in exchange. He offered her someone to replace her grandson. But she said no. And she refused to have any contact with him after that and withdrew completely from the village."

"So the Kazekage had to teach Kankuro himself. Why didn't he ask you?"

"He probably knew that I would support my sister's decision. And I might have. Did the boy really use the puppet that way the first time?"

"Yes, Ebizo-jii-sama. It is something I will never forget."

"It is unfortunate. Chiyo-nii-chan would have done much with him. Kankuro has a natural talent for puppet techniques, but the fierce passion that characterizes a great puppet user needs time to grow and mature. The Kazekage started him too early and then he was left to fend for himself. Much to his own detriment. It appears that neither his father nor you were able to rid him of his reckless streak."

"No. I was a poor teacher to him, to all of them. His father was the only one able to calm him down. And even he had trouble getting the boy to obey him."

Ebizo waved a bony hand, "I mean no criticism. I will probably do no better. He is not the first puppet user like that; many of the great ones were the same way. Remember how my sister attacked that young Leaf shinobi so rashly?"

Baki nodded.

"She was a tough, my Chiyo-nii-chan, to defy the Kazekage like that." Ebizo made a surprised noise, something had occurred to him. "But she was not the only one." He looked at Baki's sister. "Temari. She is quite skilled, a brilliant analyst, and with her diplomatic skills she is an excellent representative for this village. But she is no assassin. You did not train her as the Kazekage wanted."

"I did not. My skills are no longer needed by this village. And the girl was not suited to it. I gave her the skills best suited to her temperament. And as you have said, she has become an asset to this village. I believe the Kazekage would be pleased with the results of her training."

Ebizo nodded, "That is true. But I imagine he was not pleased when he realized what you were doing."

"Not at first. But Temari and I eventually persuaded him that it was for the best."

"Hmm. So, how long did the Kazekage wait before he introduced Kankuro to Kuroari?"

"Kankuro did not get another puppet until after his father's death. He did want one. They had numerous arguments about it." Baki heaved a sigh. "And then the Kazekage refused to discuss it any further. In fact, he stopped talking to his children altogether a few months before…before we tried to invade the Leaf village. He did not even discuss their mission at the chunin exams with them. The orders came to me and I had to deliver them. It was hard on Temari and especially Kankuro. He wanted to make chunin at the exams, to please the Kazekage. That is why he wanted another puppet."

"Kankuro is of the opinion that Orochimaru killed and replaced his father well before the invasion and the whole thing was Orochimaru's idea. That is his explanation for why his father became so distant. What do you think?"

Baki shrugged, "I don't know. A part of me would like to believe it. But Orochimaru himself said that he killed the Kazekage just before the exam."

"And he is a man known for his honesty, isn't he?" Ebizo said wryly. "You found his body. Could you tell anything from it?"

Baki shuddered at the memory, "Not really. Orochimaru had taken…steps to ensure that the body…all the bodies were almost unrecognizable."

"So it could be true. Hmm."

Ebizo meditated on that for a while.

"In any case, it meant that Kankuro was left without instruction of any sort in puppet techniques. He figured out Kuroari and Shanshouo on his own then?"

"He did teach himself how to use Shanshouo. But with Kuroari he had a little help. Ebizo-jii-sama, you might have a hard time believing how it happened."

Ebizo arched an eyebrow, "Is that so? Well, perhaps you should tell me and then I will be able to decide for myself."

A/N-This is shameless self-promotion I know, but you can find the reason for Kankuro's theory about the invasion in my story 'Aftermath'. HW2


	4. Kuroari

Four-Kuroari

"C'mon idiot, get up."

Someone was tugging on his covers. Kankuro curled up into to a ball and pulled the pillow over his head, "Just ten more minutes."

The covers flew off the bed in a blast of wind. Kankuro groaned. He hated it when his father did that. But then it hit him; his father was dead. He was still forgetting and then getting a sick feeling when he remembered. Was that ever going to stop?

Kankuro sat bolt upright. If it was not his father, then…

"Temari! What the hell?" He grabbed the waist of his boxers and pulled them up. He hugged the pillow to his naked chest. "Get the hell out! I'm not dressed."

"Oh psssh." Temari flapped a hand at him. "Like you have anything worth staring at. C'mon, get up. You're going to make us late. Breakfast is ready. So get up and get dressed. And not in your working clothes. Baki thinks it would be better if we didn't dress that way today." She looked around the room. "It's disgusting in here. Boys are so messy. Do you ever put anything away?"

"If you don't like it, then don't come in here. I'm not getting dressed with you standing there. Get out!"

Temari wrinkled her nose at him and then left. Kankuro threw the pillow back on the bed. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He had forgotten what they had to do today. They were going to meet with some lawyer and go over their father's will. That on its own would be bad enough, but the council had insisted that they be involved in the process. They wanted to ensure that property that actually belonged to the village was not passed on to the Kazekage's children instead.

"Stupid council morons," Kankuro muttered.

He got up and rummaged around until he found a pair of trousers and a shirt. They were not his working clothes, but they were still black.

Temari and Gaara were sitting at the table eating breakfast when he arrived in the kitchen. Kankuro sat down and started to eat. Temari made a face at him.

"Do you own anything that is not black? Do you own a comb?"

"Leave me alone."

Temari must be nervous, he thought. When she got nervous she would pick at every little thing. Kankuro was not sure that he liked this new living arrangement. Temari had moved back into the house, saying that her little brothers needed someone to look after them.

"Hurry up, both of you. We are going to meet Baki, the lawyer, and the councilmen there. We don't want to be late."

"Quit nagging. It's not that far to the offices. We have plenty of time."

"That's not where we're going. I got a note from the lawyer, he wants to meet at some warehouse."

Temari told them where it was.

"Why do we have to go there?"

"Some of things in the will are there."

"Like what?"

Temari shrugged, "I have no idea and the note did not say. So, hurry up. And remember, the fewer reminders of…what happened, the better." She pointed at Gaara. "No gourd, no sand."

Kankuro snorted, "Like that will help."

A small frown appeared on Gaara's face, "Is it wise to go with no defenses?"

"Today it is. Do not worry Gaara. No one there is an enemy." Temari frowned at Kankuro. "You should wear something other than black. And you had better be on your best behaviour, no swearing, no insults, and no making faces at people. I really wish you could do something about…that hair."

Kankuro scowled into his breakfast. What she had really meant was that he should do something about his face. It was so stupid. Kankuro could not help who he looked like. If she did not want anyone to see his face, then she should either not make him go or let him wear his face paint. Then people would see the shinobi and not the former Kazekage's son.

They had returned from the disastrous invasion attempt to find the council in an uproar. They had been so busy trying to shift blame for what had happened solely to the Kazekage, that they had failed to prepare for attacks from other clans and from the Sound village. Then a few of the council members, led by Baki, had managed some preparations. Since then every available shinobi in the village had been going non-stop to meet challenges from other clans and guard the borders. In addition, they had been expected to keep up with the regular duties of shinobi; escort missions, investigations, and teaching assignments.

The council had assigned Gaara and his siblings to numerous high level missions. Some hoped that Gaara would be destroyed, thus riding the village of the demon. Kankuro wondered how long it would take the denser members of the council to realize that they would not get rid of Gaara that way and, in fact, they were doing just what Gaara wanted.

Gaara had finally learned the lesson the Kazekage had wanted to teach him when he had created the Sand Siblings team. He was determined to work hard for his village. His mantra of 'I will learn to cherish others, I will fight for those I cherish' was starting to bother Kankuro he heard it so often. Although he welcomed the change in his brother, Kankuro could not help but feel a sense of failure. His father had wanted Kankuro to become a real brother to Gaara, but Kankuro had never been able to do more than establish an uneasy truce with his brother. Temari had done a little better, but even she had not reached Gaara the way Naruto had.

But wanting to change was not enough, Gaara was going to have to convince a village of frightened people that he was no longer a homicidal terror. And all the dangerous missions they had completed were helping to do just that.

This was the first time in weeks that Kankuro had been able to sleep in his own bed. He was glad for a break; Karasu needed some major maintenance and Kankuro needed to do some research. The past few months had shown him that he still had a long way to go in his training. First and foremost, he needed another puppet.

"Stop staring off into space and eat. We are going to be late. I want us out the door in the next ten minutes."

"Don't be so bossy. Like you said this isn't a mission, so you're not our leader."

The council had decided to promote Temari to chunin while Gaara and Kankuro had remained genin. Kankuro thought they had only done it because the Leaf village had promoted the guy she had beaten. It was so unfair. Kankuro had avoided fighting before the proper moment, as per orders, while Temari had gone ahead and battled that rat faced moron and she had been promoted. So that made her the official team leader.

"That may be true. But I am also the eldest, so I am head of the household," Temari looked smug.

Kankuro groaned, that was true. This day sucked and he had not even finished his breakfast.

Baki and the lawyer were waiting for them at the warehouse. Kankuro was surprised to see Baki's sister waiting for them too. The old lady almost never left her house.

Temari greeted her sensei. Baki's sister looked her over and nodded her approval. Temari was wearing a kimono with a conservative, yet sophisticated, pattern. The kimono was perfectly draped and belted. Temari looked every inch the responsible young woman in it. Then her sensei looked at Temari's two brothers and her expression indicated that she was less than impressed.

Kankuro felt himself hunch in reflex to the old lady's stare. She always looked at him like he was something nasty that needed to be scraped off the sidewalk.

"As soon as the council members arrive, we can began," the lawyer adjusted his glasses. He looked up at the sound of footsteps. "Here comes Sumisu-san now."

Kankuro groaned, "Ibiki. Why him?"

Something poked him in the ribs. Temari had removed a fan from her sleeve.

"Hey, you said no weapons."

Temari opened the fan, "This little thing? It's not a weapon. Don't be stupid Kankuro and remember what I said."

Like hell that's not a weapon, Kankuro thought. The edge that had dug into to him had been awfully sharp. He frowned at his sister. It was not fair. And even worse, that idiot Sumisu Ibiki was here. The thought of that creep going through his father's personal stuff made Kankuro feel a little sick.

Ibiki greeted the adults, nodded curtly at Temari and Kankuro, and avoided looking at Gaara altogether.

"Let's get started with this."

"We are still waiting for Saito-san. We cannot start until both the observers the council appointed are here," the lawyer said.

Ibiki sniffed, "If that…merchant cannot bother to be on time, then we should just start without him. My time is very valuable. I have…"

He was cut off by another voice shouting a hello.

"Eisuke! Hey!" Kankuro waved at him and grinned.

Eisuke's father had been appointed to the council three years ago and Eisuke filled in for him on a regular basis. Both the Saito's had been among Baki's strongest supporters while he was dealing with the aftermath of the invasion attempt.

"Good morning everyone. I am sorry to be late." Eisuke clapped Kankuro on the back and nodded at Gaara. "You two get bigger every time I see you. And Temari-san, you look very lovely today." Eisuke bowed to Baki's sister. "I am honoured to meet you. Baki-san, good day. Sumisu-san, glad you could make it. Harada-san, you are looking well. Business must be good."

Harada nodded at Eisuke, "Let's get started. I have the Kazekage's will here and various supporting documents. He left all his assets to his children to be divided equally among them. We are here today to deal with specific bequests to the children. Those items are in storage here, along with some personal effects; clothes, photographs, things of that nature."

He produced a key, went to one of the storage units, and unlocked it, "I have an itemized list of everything in here. I took the liberty of making a copy for the council. If that is acceptable to you." He looked at the three children.

Kankuro opened his mouth to protest and Temari's fan jabbed him in the ribs again.

"That's acceptable," Temari said.

"One of the items is rather large, so…" Harada grunted with the effort of sliding the door open.

Sand swirled out at them. Harada stepped inside, muttering something about light switches. As the sand settled, they could make out shapes. There were a few boxes stacked in a small pile, but it was something else, a large object, shrouded in canvas, that took up most of the space in the storage unit.

Kankuro gasped and ran over to the object. Ibiki protested, but Kankuro ignored him and flipped back the cover.

"Kankuro, be careful you're getting dust and sand everywhere," Temari said.

Kankuro ignored her too. He was staring at a puppet. He put one hand on its blunt wooden head. Harada had found the lights and had flicked them on, further illuminating the puppet. Kankuro pulled the tarp back further to expose the puppet's two front legs.

"Yes. That is part of the bequest to Kankuro. I believe it is called," he flipped through some papers, "Shanshouo."

"Shanshouo," Kankuro breathed. "Hello."

"There are two items actually," more papers flipped.

Kankuro looked over his shoulder at the lawyer.

"Two?" his eyes were wide.

"Yes, yes. Here it is, the second is 'Kuroari'. It is…" the lawyer squinted, "ah…over there."

He pointed at a second, canvas shrouded form that was leaning against Shanshouo's bulk.

"Now, just wait a moment," Ibiki protested, before Kankuro could move, "we can't have this. Before you start rummaging around we need to have a look and determine if they really belong to…"

"You keep your slimy hands off my otō-san's things!"

"Kankuro!" Temari said. "Just calm down."

"Let him read it all," Gaara said.

Everyone stared at him in surprise. It was unusual for Gaara to take an interest in something like this. He had little interest in material goods. He was trying hard to understand normal emotions, but it was slow work. The idea that objects might have sentimental value was still difficult for him to understand.

"Let him read it all, Kankuro," he repeated. "Then you can yell."

Eisuke snickered and Gaara frowned at him. He was not trying to be amusing.

Kankuro went red. He took a deep breath.

"Alright."

He pulled the tarp back over Shanshouo and walked over to stand beside his brother and sister. He continued to scowl at Ibiki. Temari had to poke him several times before he dropped his eyes to the ground.

Harada cleared his throat, "Now, as I was saying, one of the items is rather large, thus the reason for this storage unit. The rent on this unit has been paid up in full for five more years, so if you wish to leave any of these items here, feel free to do so. Now, we have already discovered the bequest to Kankuro. There are two others; first to Temari, there is a scroll. Hmm, it is over there," he pointed at a large scroll case.

"So, that is where it went," Baki's sister murmured.

"Sensei?" Temari turned to look at her.

"Let the good man continue," she made a small bow at Harada. "Harada-san please pardon our continued rudeness."

The lawyer adjusted his glasses, for some reason there was a faint blush of colour on his cheeks.

"Oh, no, no trouble really," he cleared his throat once and then a second time, "The third item is a collection of books and scrolls that have been left to Gaara." He gestured to three boxes sitting together in a group.

"Books and scrolls?" Gaara said.

"Yes," Harada flipped through his papers. "Techniques manuals and the journals of the Kazekage's research into sand and wind techniques."

"Oh." Gaara blinked. He did not know what to think, he had not expected this. He had not expected anything.

"These other boxes hold clothes and photographs. Baby clothes in these two, two boxes with women's kimonos, and these last two contain photo albums."

"Two whole boxes? I can't remember the last time I had my picture taken," Temari said.

"You may verify that for yourself of course. I found the inventory to be complete when I checked."

"No, no I didn't mean to suggest that anything was wrong," Temari waved a hand. "It's just…"

That sounded like so many pictures. They must be from the time before her mother died. It would be hard to look at them. Temari was not sure that she wanted to.

"That is everything," Harada looked at the children. "Any questions?"

Temari looked at her brothers. Kankuro was staring at the two puppets, a dazed expression on his face. Gaara's face had its normal blank expression.

"Is there a description of the scroll he left me?" Temari asked.

"Yes, there is." Harada flipped through his stack of papers again. "Hmm, ah, here. It is described as a summoning scroll for something called…Kamatari."

"A summoning scroll…" Temari's eyes went wide.

Summoning scrolls were rare and very valuable. If she could learn how to summon, she would be well on her way to becoming a jounin. She started to grin, then stopped herself. He sensei would not approve of that sort of behaviour.

Ibiki was frowning, "That was not his decision to make. The council should decide who is entrusted with such a powerful item."

"It was my understanding that the owner of the scroll determined who it went to next. Was I misinformed about the procedure?" Harada looked at the two older shinobi.

"You have it right, Harada-san." Baki said.

Ibiki opened his mouth to argue but Baki's sister spoke first.

"It is a generous gift and a great honour. Of course, it remains to be seen if Temari is worthy of it. Not everyone is able to master summoning. Kamatari is a strong willed spirit, there is no guarantee that he will accept Temari. May I make a suggestion, gentlemen?"

"Please do," Harada said.

"Allow me to oversee my student's efforts. If she is unable to master the summoning technique then the council will be allowed to take possession of the scroll. But if she is able to master the technique, then she will be allowed to keep it."

"Excellent idea," Eisuke said. "I am sure that the council would agree to that. What do you think, Baki-san?"

Baki nodded, "I think that is fair."

"Of course you would," Ibiki snapped. He paused. "All right then. But we will have to put a time limit on it. She can't play around with it forever."

"Of course. Consult with the council and come up with a suitable length of time."

"Thank-you sensei," Temari said. "I will work hard at it."

"I have no doubt."

"Humph." Ibiki swiveled his gaze to Shanshouo.

Kankuro tensed and muttered a curse. Temari poked him again. If he would just stay calm, they would find a way around Ibiki. The councilman seemed determined to take some piece of their inheritance.

"I do not recall the Kazekage ever using battle puppets, much less making them. Where did these things come from?"

Harada nodded, "You are correct. I have full provenance for both of them. They were made by Sasori of the Red Sands. The Kazekage got them from Sasori's grandmother; they were left in her possession when Sasori…departed. After I…"

"Sasori! Then these are also objects of great value and a treasure of the village. They cannot be entrusted to some…genin."

Kankuro's hands had clenched into fists, "You had just better watch…"

He ended with a grunt when Temari's fan poked him hard in the ribs.

"If I might be allowed to finish." A note of irritation had crept into Harada's voice.

Kankuro rubbed at his ribs, "Sorry. Please, finish."

Ibiki sniffed and gestured for the lawyer to continue.

"I suspected that these two items might be a source of controversy, so I took the liberty of researching the issue. All of Sasori's creations are well documented, so I was able to find the names and descriptions of these puppets. If the puppets had indeed passed from Sasori, to his grandmother, to the Kazekage, then he would be well within his rights to give them to his son. There is some precedence for this. As you may know, Chiyo-sama herself inherited the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Therefore to be certain, I contacted Chiyo-sama. There is a copy of the letter in the file. And her response is there too."

Kankuro gasped, "You talked to her. What did she say?"

"I corresponded with her. She would not speak with me. But I wanted to have this matter settled. I was contracted to represent the Kazekage's interests after his death and I will do so to the best of my ability. Her response indicates that she no longer has any interest in her grandson's possessions."

"What did she say? Where is this letter she is supposed to have written?" Ibiki held out a hand.

Harada pulled himself to his full height and looked down his nose at Ibiki, "Sumisu-san, if you are insinuating what I think… Well, feel free to conduct any follow up you wish. But I am afraid you will have no more luck than I did."

He held out a document for Ibiki to read, "I can supply you with a copy. The original will stay with these files."

Eisuke peered over Ibiki's shoulder. The letter was written in large bold letters.

"'_If he wants them he can have them. Figure it out for yourselves. Leave me alone._'" Eisuke read. "Hmm, well, that is short and to the point. You certainly are thorough, Harada-san. Otō-san always says that you are worth every penny you charge."

"Humph," Ibiki scowled at Eisuke. "Still, I do not think that we should leave these items in the hands of some low ranking shinobi."

"And where else would they go Ibiki? Are you thinking of taking up puppet techniques?" Eisuke laughed. "Kankuro is the only up and coming puppeteer in this village. Are you suggesting we let some other village have them, eh? Should we tie them up with a big ribbon and send them off to Tsunade-sama?"

"Of course not!" Ibiki sputtered.

"Well, let him try them then. Baki can monitor his progress. I am sure he won't remain 'some genin' for long once he has these two up and running. Right Kankuro?"

"Damn right!" Kankuro growled, glaring at Ibiki. Then he yelped, Temari had smacked his ear with her fan.

Eisuke chuckled, "Right. With that sort of enthusiasm he'll have them flying in circles in no time. So, what is left?"

Ibiki glared at Eisuke, "The papers. Private journals and techniques manuals. We cannot allow those to fall into the hands of this…"

"You just watch what you call my otōto-san," Kankuro said in a low voice.

"I would never do anything to harm this village," Gaara said, his voice flat, "but I have no use for these…things. If you want them, take them."

"But Gaara," Temari protested, "some of the manuals might be useful to you. Imagine what you could learn. It might help you. You know…"

"There are things in them that should be kept secret," Ibiki said.

"You can't know that," Temari said.

"You just want to make sure that no one learns anything from them," Kankuro added. He looked at his brother. "Temari is right, Gaara. There's bound to be stuff in there that can help you get stronger. That is something you want, right?"

Gaara nodded, "That is true. But I also do not want to go against the council. They know what is best for the village."

Kankuro snorted. Gaara could be so naïve sometimes.

"The council should decide what to do with them."

"It's Gaara decision."

"He just said…"

"You have no right to deny him, or anyone, knowledge!" Kankuro burst out.

It had been so hard for him to learn about puppet techniques that he had come to believe that all information was valuable. To see the council trying to take control of information that could be used by other shinobi was just wrong.

"So what do we do?"

Kankuro chewed on his lip, thinking, "How about this Gaara, give them to the village library. Let an expert decide what kind of classification they should have. There is some stuff that should be restricted to higher ranking shinobi, that's true, but you can't just let the council hide everything away."

Baki's sister nodded, she looked impressed, "That is an excellent idea. Keiko-chan is the perfect person to examine and classify these items. And she will be thrilled to have them added to the library."

"Keiko…chan? But she's a librarian, not a shinobi. Are we even talking about the same person?"

Kankuro was not sure if they were. He saw Keiko a lot, because he visited the library on a regular basis. She was a nice, middle aged lady, but Kankuro did not think that she was a shinobi.

"Boy, when are you going to learn, that appearances can be deceiving when it comes to shinobi." Baki's sister sighed. "And here I thought you were starting to become interesting."

"Kankuro, Keiko has jounin rank." Baki said. "She has forgotten more about languages, codes, and seals then you will ever know. But it is not her main work now."

"Main work?"

"Yes, she guards the village's knowledge. That library holds a lot more than you might think."

Kankuro was amazed. He looked at his sister.

Temari shrugged, "I didn't know that, but it makes sense. So, can we do that?"

Baki nodded, "We will discuss it at the next council meeting, but I think it sounds like a fair solution."

Ibiki did not look happy, "Very well. But if you cannot meet the conditions that each of you have set, then these items will be taken by the village."

He turned and left. Kankuro resisted the urge to stick his tongue out him. Ibiki acted like he was so big because he represented the daimyo. He was always ordering everyone around and trying to take power away from the village, but Kankuro thought that he was pretty stupid.

Harada folded all his papers away into a large envelope. He put the key to the storage unit in it and then handed the envelope to Temari.

"Everything we have talked about today is in here, along with the rental contract for the unit and the pass book for the Kazekage's bank account. As of now my work on behalf of the Kazekage is done. If you find that you require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. It would be a great personal honour to perform more service for your family."

He bowed, then paused, adjusting his glasses. He cleared his throat, "I saw you perform once. I have not been so moved by anything since."

He bowed to Baki's sister.

"I am honoured that you remember my feeble skills with such favour," she smiled at the lawyer.

Harada went very red. He bowed again and left.

"Such a pleasant man." She watched him go. Her smile faded as she turned back to her student and her brothers. "Temari, I will expect you tomorrow. If you are going to summon Kamatari, there is much work to do. And please remember to dust that scroll off before you bring it into my house." She looked at Baki. "These three are going to need some time away from missions to deal with these things."

Baki nodded, "I agree. They could do with the rest in any case."

"But," Gaara protested, "I must continue to protect the village."

"Think of it this way Gaara," Kankuro said, "by donating those books to the village you are giving everyone stuff they can use to get stronger. So really you are helping, just in a different way."

"Very well," Gaara said.

Kankuro turned his attention to the puppets, a grin spreading across his face, "Shanshouo. Kuroari. You guys are going to…"

"We're not dragging that thing home with us." Temari pointed her fan at Shanshouo. "There's no place to put it, Kankuro. It's too big."

"What? Like hell. He's coming home. They both are."

"No they are not."

"Stop being so bossy."

"Ahem, but who is head of the household? Who is the leader of our team?" Temari looked smug.

Kankuro groaned, "You are."

"Right. And I say: that thing stays here until we can find a place to put it."

Kankuro scowled, "Don't call him 'it'. But I'm bringing Kuroari, he's not too big."

Temari shrugged, "That's fine. But just keep _it_ in the workshop. I don't want _it_ tracking dirt all over the house."

"Kuroari! _His_ name is Kuroari!"

-0000-

Temari stood in the doorway of the workshop, wrinkling her nose in disgust. She did not know how Kankuro got anything done, the place was so disorganized. The workbench was littered with tools and puppet parts. A second, equally messy, bench was where Kankuro mixed poison. Temari had seen him mixing the paste he put on his face there too. Someday he was going to get the two mixed up; their components were sitting out in a big jumble. But, she had to admit, he took very good care of Karasu. The puppet's lacquer finish was perfect, every joint and hinge was oiled, and all the blades and needles were always sharp. Sometimes Kankuro paid more attention to Karasu's well being than he did his own.

She cleared her throat, trying to get his attention. He was sharpening the needles that Karasu fired, totally focused on the work. She did not want to startle him while he was handling a sharp object. She watched his hands move over the long needle. The dexterity he showed when he manipulated Karasu extended to other things too. He was good with weapons, tools, and he had lovely writing. It was too bad that the stuff that came out of his mouth was not as graceful as his hands.

She cleared her throat again and shuffled her feet. Kankuro looked around. He placed the needle in a cork holder. He frowned at his sister.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough. You have to be more aware of your surroundings, Kankuro."

He rolled his eyes. It was one of her favorite complaints, he only heard the one about picking stuff up more often.

"What do you want Temari?"

"How did it go? I just got back from sensei's place."

Kankuro had attended a council meeting to hear their decisions about the summoning scroll and the books that had been left to Gaara. He was no longer able to attend as many meetings as he had when his father was alive and had only been allowed to go on the condition that he stayed quiet. It had taken every once of will power Kankuro had to keep that promise. Kankuro did not know how Baki managed not to kill some of the idiots who were supposed to be looking out for the best interests of the village but instead just made sure that their own interests were served.

"You have three months. I have three to learn how to use two puppets and another year to get all three going. Keiko-san will decide what to do with the books. She will have to justify all her decisions to the council and they get the final say."

His gaze kept drifting to Kuroari while he talked. The puppet was sitting on the work bench. The large compartment in its torso was open. Temari thought it was even creepier than Karasu, with its red horns, long round face, and that dark gaping hole.

"That's good. You can do that, right?"

"Damn right. What about you?"

"Hah, no problem. I'll have the technique in no time. Sensei is the best."

Temari winced, she should not have said that. It was not fair to remind Kankuro that she had a teacher and he did not. Gaara had Baki to teach him techniques and now he even had his father, albeit indirectly. But Kankuro had to manage on his own.

"You know…you could always go and see her. She might…"

"Hell no! You heard what she wrote. Besides, what if I do and she decides to take them back?" Kankuro's voice got small. "What would I do then? I don't know any other techniques, Temari. And besides, I promised…" His jaw set into a stubborn line. He went on in his usual rough manner, "I'll figure it out myself. I don't need that old crone."

"Kankuro!"

"You heard her. She just doesn't care."

"What about her brother? Maybe he would help."

"No. I'll figure it out myself Temari. And don't nag me about it either." Kankuro swiveled his stool around to face her. "They decided something else too today. We can stay here until they pick the next Kazekage."

"Stay here?" Temari had no idea what he was talking about.

"This house. It's the Kazekage's residence and belongs to the village. But they decided to let us stay if we like." Kankuro made a face. "But they will charge rent, we have to pay all the utilities and stuff."

"But…" Temari stopped. She had always thought of the place as theirs, even when she had moved out, she had still thought of it as home.

"It's all worked out. They will deduct it from our salaries, one third from each of us. Eisuke got it all set up. He said it will actually work out really well. Something about the deduction being pre-tax so it reduces our taxable income." Kankuro shrugged. "He's smart about money and I trust him. What do you think?"

Temari scratched her head, "That sounds okay. It means we can stay here though?"

"For the time being."

Kankuro's hands had wandered back to the work bench while they talked. He had picked up a washer and was shuttling it across his knuckles. He was always moving.

"So," Temari gestured at Kuroari with her chin, "how is it coming?"

"Slow."

Kankuro turned the stool so he faced the puppet. He ran one hand through his hair. His other hand continued to shuttle the washer. When he finished mussing his hair, he rested his chin on his fist, placing it carefully so he did not smudge his face paint. He gazed at the new puppet and a dreamy expression appeared on his face.

"I'll figure it out though. Karasu and Kuroari are going to kick some ass then."

Temari snickered at the sight of her brother mooning over his puppet. Kankuro shot her a dirty look.

"So what is the problem? Can't you make him move?"

"Of course I can. That's not the problem. There are two things. I have to get them to both move at the same time. That takes practice, I can do that. It's just… They have to perform together, but I don't know how."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. Kuroari. What does he do? He has some stuff for attacking, but these other blades and things… I can't see what they are supposed to do. They have to perform together. I can't quite…see it. I looked all three puppets up in the records the lawyer mentioned, but they only contain physical descriptions, not why Sasori made them. They are so different from other puppets in the books. What was he thinking?" He sighed. "I'm getting nowhere just sitting here." He tossed the washer on the bench, pulled his hood up, and reached for his cowl.

"Where are you going?"

"Where else. To the library."

-0000-

Anyone who did not know Kankuro well was surprised to learn that the library was one of his favorite places. Even if he did not find anything to help him improve his skills as a puppeteer, it was always possible that you could pick up some interesting information. You never knew when some little tidbit might be useful on a mission.

Kankuro went to the main desk. He always stopped there to greet the librarian and to see if she could direct him to something interesting.

As usual, she was there, bent over some paperwork. She looked up as he approached, peering at him over the half-moon glasses she wore.

"Kankuro, good afternoon. I haven't seen you for some time. And Karasu too. How are you two doing?"

Kankuro grinned at her. That was the one of the things he liked about Keiko, she always referred to his puppet properly.

"We're fine. How are you?"

"Excellent. Baki was by earlier with the news about our newest acquisitions. He left the inventory with me so I could prepare. It is very exciting. How thoughtful of your brother to share these things with the village. What a wonderful and selfless gesture."

Kankuro opened his mouth to point out that it had been his idea, but then stopped. If he let Gaara get the credit, that would help improve his reputation in the village. Kankuro had not been able to help Gaara before, but he was going to do his best now. It was one of the promises that he had made to his father.

Keiko rubbed her hands together, "It will be such a lot of work, but also so interesting. I can't wait to start." She sighed and her attention wandered.

"Umm, Keiko-san?"

"Oh, yes, Kankuro. Well, nothing much new this week I am afraid. There is one book…I am not sure though." She eyed Kankuro. "It is rather fragile."

"I can be careful."

"Oh I know. It is a rare pleasure to see a boy your age who is respectful of books. It is a series of essays, mostly about battles that involved puppet users. There is not much about techniques and it has some heavy reading. Not many were printed so that makes it a rare volume. But…I will get it out and put it in the reading room. It will have to stay here because it is not in good condition. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, Keiko-san. Thank-you."

"Just doing my job. This will take a few minutes. I will come and find you when it is ready."

"Okay. Thank-you."

She nodded and got up from her desk, "You are shooting up like a weed Kankuro. You are taller than me now. Look at that. Where does the time go?"

She left him, murmuring to herself. Kankuro blinked, he _was_ taller than Keiko. When had that happened? He hoped that getting taller meant he would start to lose some weight too. Temari was always teasing him about his 'baby fat'.

Kankuro wandered over to the section of the library that held techniques manuals. There were only a few that dealt with puppet techniques and Kankuro had read them so many times that he had some of them memorized.

He stopped in front of the short span of books on puppet techniques. There was a new addition. Kankuro felt a surge of excitement, but then realized that he had seen this book before. It was one that his father had kept in his office. Someone must have brought it here after they cleared out his office.

Kankuro reached out and ran a finger down the spine of the book. It was good that the book had made it here, rather than disappearing someplace where no one would ever see it again. But it made him sad to think of his father's office emptied of all his things. Kankuro leaned against one of the big shelving units and sighed. As they cleared stuff away would the memories disappear too? Would people eventually forget about him altogether or would they only remember bad things? Whatever people said or thought about the Fourth Kazekage would not change the fact that his son missed him terribly.

"I was just starting to learn from him," Kankuro murmured. "We were just starting. What do I do now?" He sighed again.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a deep voice rumbled behind him.

Kankuro twitched and whirled around. He had not heard or sensed anyone and he had not been that distracted. He frowned at the man who had appeared in the aisle. Kankuro had never seen him before, and he would have remembered this guy. He was a big old man with long white hair and a strange forehead protector. He had to be a shinobi of some kind, but instead of proper sandals he was wearing geta. Kankuro could not believe that some old guy had snuck up on him while wearing those things.

The man put his hands on his hips and chuckled, "A little genin and his toy. Puppet users are so cute at your age."

Before Kankuro could do or say anything the man reached out and patted Karasu's head and then tweaked the points of Kankuro's cowl.

"Hey! What the hell?!"

Kankuro took a step back and wrapped his hands around the straps on his shoulders. He did not like the way this guy was grinning at him.

The man chuckled again and then his eyes shifted away from Kankuro, "Ah, Keiko there you are. What an excellent library you have here. I'm getting lots of research done today."

"Well, thank-you. I am most flattered, Jiraiya-sama."

Kankuro mouthed the man's name. He had heard of the sannin of course, but he could not believe that this guy was one of them. Kankuro realized that he was staring with his mouth hanging open. He shut it with a snap.

"If there is anything else I can help you with, just let me know," Keiko continued.

"Well, I will have to come up with something, just so I can spend some more time in the presence of your exotic beauty," Jiraiya declared, striking a pose.

Keiko giggled. Kankuro looked from her to Jiraiya, aghast. Was this guy for real?

"If you will pardon us Jiraiya-sama, I have an item Kankuro requested ready for him."

"Please do not let me hold you up." Jiraiya grinned at them, making an elaborate gesture.

"What is he doing here?" Kankuro asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Just as he said; research."

"But who allowed it? He's from the Leaf. What if…"

"Kankuro, you know that they are our allies now. Don't worry, I know what he is doing. He won't leave with anything precious."

"That's right, because you're… How long have you been a shinobi, Keiko-san?"

"Long enough to know how to deal with the likes of Jiraiya-sama. So, how about you get down to work here."

Kankuro nodded and let himself be led to the reading room. He was going to have to ask Baki about Jiraiya. It had not come up in the council meeting he had attended and something this big was sure to be discussed over and over.

Keiko pointed out a desk with a stool drawn up in front of it. A large book had been placed there. The cover was ripped and the edges of some of the pages were torn or stained.

"Where did it come from?"

"The Leaf village."

"What?" Kankuro's eyes got wide.

"Yes indeed. The benefits of being allies goes in both directions. I suspect that it is a duplicate copy. This is not the sort of thing that the Fifth Hokage is interested in; she was probably trying to free up some space. The Leaf village has a very extensive library. Didn't you visit it while you were there?"

Kankuro shook his head, "I wasn't allowed. Baki said not to sneak in, it might have interfered with…caused some trouble."

"Well, if you ever get the chance to visit, take it."

"I will."

"I will leave you to it then. Let me know when you are done."

"Yes. Thank-you Keiko-san."

Kankuro seated himself in front of the book and opened it to the contents page. As Keiko had said, it contained essays. Most had the names of battles as titles, but two of the titles were more cryptic.

" '_Alternative uses of battle puppets_', " he read. He saw the author's name and his eyes widened. It was by Sasori. He was going to have to read that one. The last essay had no author listed. " '_On form and function in puppet construction: taking our cues from the natural world_'." Kankuro wrinkled his nose. The title was long and weird.

He decided to concentrate on the historical essays first. He knew most of the history already, but thought that he might find some information on tactics that might be useful.

The third essay in the book had an illustration. It showed hundreds of puppets fighting with enemy shinobi and soldiers. Kankuro knew the history; it was the first time that puppet techniques had turned the tide of a battle. The puppeteers had been held in reserve until the third day of fighting. They had been able to overcome the tired forces of the enemy and had given their outnumbered army time to rest and regroup. The picture covered two pages, it was water damaged but still impressive.

Kankuro stared at the image. Puppets swarmed over the enemy attacking with bombs, swords, and knives. Several were made up to look like fierce warriors while the others had little detail on their bodies. Some shinobi had been drawn too. Each one was controlling several puppets. The drawing was a really good one, the artist had captured the motions of shinobi and puppets perfectly. They looked like they could start to move at any moment.

Kankuro traced the design on the face of one of the shinobi. The patterns they wore on their faces were similar to the designs on their puppets; that was how you could tell who each puppet belonged to. They looked so fierce, Kankuro thought. He would learn how to do this too. Somehow he would figure it out.

"So you like to look at pictures, huh?"

Kankuro twitched. It was Jiraiya, he had snuck up on Kankuro again.

"What the…" Kankuro caught himself. "Jiraiya-sama, how long have you been standing there?"

"Oh, not too long." Jiraiya looked at the illustration. "That was quite the battle. Back in the day, just a few puppeteers could almost decimate an army. Is that what you were daydreaming about, becoming strong like them?" His eyes drifted to Karasu. "One puppet. You have a ways to go. You will have to do more than just look at the pictures."

Kankuro frowned. He knew that he had to master more puppets, he did not need to hear it from this guy. There was something in his tone that bothered Kankuro. He muttered what he hoped was a polite sounding response.

"Hmm," Jiraiya rubbed one hand across his chin, looking thoughtful. Then his eyes brightened, "I have just realized who you are. Well, well, one of the infamous Sand Siblings. I was expecting something a little more fierce looking from the inheritor of Sasori's puppets."

Kankuro could not help it, a growl slipped out. This guy was crossing a line. It did not matter who he was.

Jiraiya cocked his head, still rubbing his chin, "Maybe in a couple of years you will grow into it, but right now you are just too cute. If I didn't already have a genin of my own to look after I might take you with me." Jiraiya laughed, he slapped Kankuro on the back, knocking him forward.

"Hey! What the hell?!"

Kankuro jumped off the stool and backed a few paces away from the old man. His hands went to the straps holding Karasu in place. He could not believe it, after slapping him on the back, Jiraiya's hand had slipped down and patted him on the ass.

"Get the hell away from me, you pervert!" he yelled.

He could not believe that a man of Jiraiya's standing was acting this way. Jiraiya grinned at him.

"I mean it damn it! I don't care who you are. Just you watch…"

"Kankuro, that is enough. Keep your voice down."

It was Keiko, she had been drawn by the yelling. Jiraiya's grin got larger and more than a little evil.

"Jiraiya-sama I am so sorry, he does not usually act like this in here."

"But he…" Kankuro stopped. There was no way she would believe him.

Jiraiya waved a hand, "No, no never mind. I just startled the boy. I guess he was reading something a little naughty and did not hear me."

"What the hell are you talking about? I was reading that…"

Kankuro started to point at the book and then stopped. Keiko was looking at the book too and her face had gone red. She took her glasses off and Kankuro got a glimpse of Keiko the shinobi.

"Kankuro, what have you brought into my library?" her voice was low and dangerous.

"But that's not…" Kankuro could only gape at it. There was a small book tucked into the pages of the book he had been reading. Kankuro did not know how the book had gotten there, but he did know what it was. The bright yellow cover stood out against the duller pages of the larger book. He could see the first part of the title, stamped in bold letters.

_Icha Icha_…

"I wasn't reading that!" Kankuro glared at Jiraiya. "What the hell?! You put that there!"

Jiraiya placed one hand on his chest. His eyes widened into an innocent expression, "Who me? I would not bring such a thing into a place of learning. Fine literature like that does have its place, but that place is not here."

"Fine literature?" Keiko made a face. "With all due respect Jiraiya-sama I do not know about that. But you are right about one thing, it does not belong here."

She was scowling at Kankuro so she did not see the hurt expression on Jiraiya's face.

"Kankuro, how could you?"

"That's…not…mine!" he yelled.

-0000-

"For the hundredth time, that's not my book!"

Kankuro slapped his hand down on the kitchen table. He glared at the book that had gotten him into so much trouble. Across the table, Temari made a disgusted sound. Kankuro glared at her.

Baki sighed and rubbed his hand over one side of his face.

"That's not mine. That old guy…that pervert snuck it into the book I was reading."

"Kankuro, watch what you call him."

Temari tsked at him. She marched out of the kitchen.

"That's not mine!" Kankuro yelled after her. His voice cracked on the last word. He grimaced, he hated when that happened. How was he supposed to sound like a badass shinobi when his voice kept squeaking?

"I keep telling you, he snuck it into the book I was reading." Kankuro threw his arms out. "What the hell was he doing there anyway? He was just strolling around. Did you know he was here, Baki?"

"I did not know it was Jiraiya-sama. The Hokage had asked permission for someone to come and use our resources, but she did not say who it was. He has not been this active for years, so it must be something important."

"There's only one thing it could be. He's looking for information about Orochimaru."

"It's a possibility."

"It is more than just possible, especially after he fought Orochimaru along side Tsunade-sama. And he has Naruto as a student…"

"He what?" Gaara spoke for the first time. He was not sure what all the fuss was about. No one had bothered to explain to him why the book was bad.

"How do you know that?" Baki asked.

"Eisuke told me. He does business with a guy who lives in the town where they found Tsunade-sama. And he told Eisuke that Jiraiya-sama had a kid with him. And the kid had yellow hair and a weird orange outfit. Only one person fits that description. Ad the old guy did say that he had a genin to look after, it has to be Naruto."

Baki frowned, "I am not sure if we should rely on gossip among merchants."

"It's not gossip! It's information. Eisuke would not make that sort of thing up. Why would anyone? Not with those specific details."

"I suppose," Baki mused. "I will look into it. But I still have to deal with this matter. I have not forgotten about it." He pointed to the book.

Before Kankuro could protest another book thumped down on the table. This one had a bright green cover that was dog eared from frequent use.

"What the hell?! Temari!"

"That book might not be yours," she pointed to the yellow covered book, "but this piece of trash is." She stabbed a finger at the second book. "The way you kept saying 'that one isn't mine' made me suspicious. It was hidden under his mattress." She wrinkled her nose at him. "Look at that thing; it's so worn. How many times have you read it?"

"I bought it second hand; it was like that when I got it!" Kankuro looked incredulous, this was getting worse by the second, "Why are you rummaging through my room? Stay the hell out of my stuff!"

"You are too young for this crap."

"You're not the boss of me!"

"As a matter of fact I am! And I say…"

"Enough!" Baki's fist thumped on the table.

Kankuro scowled and muttered something and Temari glared at her brother. Baki looked at the end of the table where Gaara sat. He had the confused look on his face that he got whenever Temari and Kankuro argued. Baki sighed, he never knew what to do with them when they started acting like kids instead of shinobi. A bizarre image passed through his mind; Jiraiya catching Naruto with a trashy novel. What would he do?

"First, you are going to apologize to Keiko-san, Kankuro."

"But…"

"I don't want to hear it. Regardless of what happened, your behaviour towards Jiraiya-sama and your language were not acceptable. Second…" Something occurred to Baki. "Where did you get this book anyways? You are too young to buy this."

Kankuro grimaced, he had hoped this would not come up, "I got it second hand, not from a store, but from some guy. He did not want it anymore."

"Who?"

Kankuro shrugged, "Just some guy."

Baki glared at him, "Who? I hope it was not Eisuke."

"No, of course not."

Baki's eye narrowed, "Kankuro…"

Kankuro started to fidget and would not meet the jounin's gaze. He cleared his throat, "I didn't know it was him until…"

"Who?!"

"Hatake Kakashi. During the exams. He said that he had bought a special edition of this one and wanted to get rid of his old copy."

"What?!" Baki roared.

Kankuro hunched his shoulders up and dropped his head. He shot his sister a dirty look from under his eyebrows. He was going to get her back for snooping in his room. And if he ever saw that old pervert again…

-0000-

Several days later Kankuro was standing at the front desk of the library again. Gaara was with him. They were waiting for Keiko. Kankuro was going to apologize and Gaara was going to look at the books that had been left to him.

Gaara looked around the silent, dark interior of the library. It did not strike him as a place where someone as loud as his brother would feel comfortable. He was never going to understand Kankuro, they were just too different, but he was learning that there was more to him than met the eye.

Right now Kankuro looked sullen, he was not happy about what he had to do. Kankuro had been muttering and grumbling almost non-stop about it.

Gaara frowned. He still did not understand, "Kankuro, why was it bad?"

"What?"

"Those little books, why were Temari and Baki so upset?"

Kankuro's eyes went wide and then he grimaced. The universe hated him this week. On top of the stupid apology, Baki had sentenced him to numerous extra chores and drills. And now he had to deal with this.

"You're kidding me, right?" He shook his head. "Never mind, you don't know how to kid. They have stuff in them that guys our age probably shouldn't read. At least that's what Temari and Baki think."

"What kind of stuff?"

"That's not something I'm going to explain to you." A grin spread across his face. "You should ask Baki. As a matter of fact, we'll ask him together when we see him later. Okay? Can it wait a little longer?"

"Very well."

Kankuro chuckled and then laughed, his grin spreading wider, "That might just make up for all of this. Thanks Gaara."

Gaara shrugged, he really did not understand. What could be so bad about a book?

Before he could ask any more questions, Keiko appeared. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of the two brothers, one toting a gourd and a blank expression and the other a puppet and a large and evil grin.

When he saw Keiko, Kankuro's grin faded. He shifted and fidgeted his way through his apology, "Is he still here? I should apologize to Jiraiya-sama too."

"No, I think he is gone. Or at least I have not seem him for several days. But if you do see him, you must try to make a sincere apology."

Kankuro nodded, but he did not look enthusiastic about the prospect.

"So, what can I do for you today?"

"Gaara would like to have a look at the books he was left. Can he do that? Have you finished going through them?"

"Not entirely. The Kazekage had an extensive personal collection. There are several rare items that we do not have. And his personal notes make for fascinating reading. I am gaining a whole new perspective on the man. I am not finished, but I think that there is enough to get you started Gaara. How does that sound?"

"That is acceptable." Gaara paused, "Will you also explain to me why these other books have been such a problem? What is wrong with them?"

Kankuro groaned, "Just let it go for now Gaara. I told you, Baki will explain it to you later."

"Why can't someone who knows books tell me? What is so bad about books?"

Keiko's eyebrows raised, "Someone has neglected to give you a certain talk I see. Well, I suppose that might be expected, given your past. Kankuro is right, best leave it to Baki. But as to your other question: it is not books that are bad, just sometimes what is in them. Books are more powerful than jutsu and contain more traps than the chunin testing grounds."

"Jutsu? Traps?"

Keiko nodded, "Not even the most powerful jutsu can move through space and time the way books can. Suppose you want to know something about the reasons why this village was built. Can you go back in time to ask the First Kazekage? But what if he wrote his reasons down? Then all you have to do is open a book."

Gaara nodded, "That makes sense. But traps?"

"Yes, this is both the best and the most dangerous thing about books. Once something is written down, it is there forever, trapped in the pages. But what you read can be a trap too; everyone brings their own motives and perspective to their writing. You may find two, three, or more reasons why this village is here. Which one is the truth? Can more than one be right? How can you tell? Is there something hidden in the text that might lead you to some larger truth. You could spend years puzzling over this one thing." She saw the blank look on Gaara's face and Kankuro's dismayed expression and laughed. "I don't think that was quite the answer you were expecting. But it is something you should both remember as you continue your training."

"Thank-you, Keiko-san I will remember," Gaara said.

"Good. Well, enough of my chatter. Let's get you set up. And what about you, Kankuro?"

"I was wondering, I never did get to read much of that book…"

"Little wonder."

Kankuro swallowed the comment he wanted to make, "I am sorry, Keiko-san. Could I have another look at it?"

He really wanted to read the essay by Sasori. He tried to keep a contrite expression on his face.

Keiko narrowed her eyes at him, "Are we going to have a repeat of last time?"

"No way! It wasn't…" Kankuro stopped himself. "No, Keiko-san. I have learned my lesson. I am sorry."

"Hmm. All right then. Just give me a minute. I will get things set up. And then I will help your brother."

"Thank-you Keiko-san."

A few minutes later Kankuro was sitting in front of the book of essays. He flipped through, pausing for a quick look at the illustration of the fight. He was surprised to find a piece of paper inserted into the book at the start of Sasori's essay. He did not remember it being there before.

He flipped the paper over.

'_No one appreciates truly excellent prose anymore. Maybe you should just stick to the pictures, kid. Next time I might give you a _signed_ copy._'

Kankuro frowned, the old pervert had left him a note. He thought about showing it to Keiko, maybe then she would believe him. He shook his head. No, it was probably best just to let the matter die.

He started to read the essay, a tingle of anticipation running down his spine. It was different than the others, Sasori described how puppets might be used outside of battle; for assassinations, surveillance, to harass and attack a convoy, or to ambush and capture an enemy. Sasori argued that in many cases puppets would actually be a more effective and efficient use of resources for certain missions.

'_The puppeteer presents the enemy with an enticing form, so that the enemy is sure to come. His show is the bait and the enemy is sure to take it. He causes the enemy to make a move and awaits him with the full force of his art. In this way results will be produced with the minimum amount of waste._'

Kankuro had actually used Karasu in some of the ways described in the essay. It was thrilling to think that he had done some of the things Sasori had proposed. It had been his father who had encouraged him to learn how to combine substitution and transformation jutsu with Karasu. The few other tactical manuals he had read only described how puppets were used in war. Kankuro wondered if his father had read this book too.

In the last part of the essay Sasori criticized the methods of various well known puppet makers, including Chikamatsu.

'_It is true that the master must teach what he knows but he must also teach the student to go beyond the known. If we were, as some recommend, to try form after form, experimenting and changing constantly, we will produce puppets of little purpose and short life span. This practice would make it too easy to bend to the demands of those who are not true artists. Puppets must be made to serve the art, not the mundane requirements of mission and battle. We are artists not mere slaves! The only way to preserve our art is to preserve those with the strongest traits. This is the only way to overcome the transience of our bodies, the weakness of emotion, and make out art timeless. _'

Kankuro wondered if Sasori built his puppets before or after he wrote the essay. Karasu, Kuroari, and Shanshouo were all very different, which seemed to contradict what Sasori said. But it was possible that he was missing something; Keiko had said that the material might be difficult. He finished Sasori's essay and started on the final paper. He read for awhile and then started again. After his third attempt at reading the introduction he sat back, making a face. He could not quite understand what the author was saying. He read on, hoping that it would start to make more sense. It didn't. The author was not even discussing puppets. He had started with descriptions of how birds with different beaks ate different things. Then he switched to insects. Kankuro tried to read that carefully, there was a long section about ants.

'…. _Each caste, queen, worker, and soldier, has a specific purpose and their form determines what that is. The soldier with its large head and protruding mandibles cannot do the delicate tasks of the worker. Form drives function._'

That made sense, but then he read the next line.

'_However, nothing in the body is made in order that we may use it. What exists now is the cause of its use. The diversity of form that we see in the world around us has been tested by time. Even if the front legs of the soldier ant were not designed to clasp and crush, the fact that they can be used that way helps to explain why those with them have thrived._'

"What the hell?" Kankuro muttered. It made a sort of sense, but he could not see what any of it had to do with puppet making. He kept reading.

'_It is true that we must go beyond what we know now, otherwise our art is sure to stagnate and obsolesce. However, the quest to achieve a single perfect puppet form will not advance our art. A single form will limit use and effectiveness. Diversity of form means diversity of function. This is how we will cope with the ever changing demands on a shinobi's skill. Multiple designs are the only way to advance our art and only trial and error can produce useful designs. Trial and error requires patience, creativity, courage, and constant study. When creativity lags we should peruse the natural world for inspiration. However, ultimately the true greatness of our art lies within the soul of the puppeteer, not within the puppet, no matter how perfect its form.'_

Kankuro sat back and sighed. It was the opposite of what Sasori had said. He was pretty sure that there was something important in this essay, but he could not quite grasp what it was.

He glanced at the last sentences.

"I don't know what Kuroari's form tells me about what he does, but I can certainly find out what real ants do with all those arms and legs." He laughed. "Hell, it will probably help me if I ever have to fight that bug using Leaf moron again."

He left the reading room to go to the card catalogue and then headed off to the biology section.

When Gaara finished his reading he went to look for Kankuro. He found his brother surrounded by books. Kankuro had one open in front of him, but he was not reading. He had his chin resting on one fist and his other hand lay on the table, fingers moving slowly. Gaara moved closer, when his brother was like this you could sneak up right beside him and not be noticed.

Several of the other books were also open. Gaara could see diagrams of insect limbs in one and another was open to a large color illustration of ants of all shapes and sizes. Another book was open to a page filled with drawings of bird wings, it was sitting on another book that had a picture of some kind of armour. The back of the armour was decorated with feathers. Yet another book was open to a page of chemical equations. Kankuro had been busy.

Kankuro sighed and shifted but he still did not notice his brother.

"Bait and switch," he murmured. "Or…drive the prey into his grasp, just like dogs drive the fox. But the timing would have to be perfect." Kankuro's eyes closed and he smiled. "But what an excellent performance it would make."

Gaara cleared his throat and Kankuro jumped.

"Gaara!" he started in a loud voice. He caught himself and continued at a lower volume. "What are you doing?"

"Watching you."

"Er, okay. Are you finished?"

Gaara nodded, "Are you?"

He looked down at the books opened to the equations and the picture of the armour.

Kankuro followed his brother's gaze. "Formic acid. Some ants use it as a defense mechanism. They contract their abdominal muscles to spray acid. It ruptures the body in some species so it's suicidal. I was wondering if I could find a way to make a bomb with something as alternative to poison."

"And this?" Gaara pointed to the other book.

"Oh, that. Just a curiosity. It's a type of armour used by mounted warriors. It looks like a couple of big wings attached to the guy's back. When he's riding they make a loud noise, just like a predatory bird's wings. It's a psychological tactic, it's supposed to creep the enemy out. You know that noise Karasu makes, the one Temari always complains about?"

Gaara nodded.

"It's the same principle."

"Does all this help you?"

"Maybe. Even if it doesn't it's still interesting. How are you doing?"

"There were some things that might be of use." Gaara frowned. "I spent much time reading about sand and rock. If I could know something about their properties, then I might…extend the range of my control. I do not always have access to sand, but maybe there is a way to make more."

Kankuro nodded, "Makes sense I guess. So did you check out what there is on geology?"

"Geology?"

"Yeah. You know, the study of rocks and stuff. I'll bet that section is pretty big, we live in the middle of a lot of rock after all."

"Do you know…how would I find…?"

"I do. Easy. I'll show you the card catalogue and how to use it, if you like."

"I would, that is…I do not want to take you from your study."

"Not a problem. I've done all I can here today."

"But this might not interest you."

Kankuro shrugged, "I might learn something that may come in handy later. Hell, you just never know."

"Should we put some of these books away first?"

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Keiko-san doesn't like it when I leave books lying open. And I don't want to get her mad at me again. We actually need to drop them off at the front desk. Keiko-san likes to reshelve stuff herself."

Gaara helped his brother pick up books, "You know a lot about this place. How long have you been coming here?"

"Hmm, not sure really. Seems like always. Otō-san would bring me when I was little, I must have been ten or so when I started coming on my own." He grinned. "Keiko-san would watch me like a hawk at first. She probably thought I was going to wreck the place."

"Thank-you."

Kankuro shrugged. It was still weird to hear his brother say things like that.

"No problem Gaara."

-0000-

"So, Gaara and Kankuro to start, then the winner takes on Temari."

Baki had his students out for some training. They were at the end of a long canyon. It was a good place to train how to set up and detect an ambush.

Baki pulled out a coin, "We'll flip to see who gets to set the ambush." He launched the coin into the air. "Call it Kankuro."

"Heads."

All eyes watched the coin. Baki caught it and slapped it on his wrist.

"Heads it is."

Kankuro grinned. He had wanted to set the ambush first, so he could try out some new tactics. He shifted, tugging on the straps that held his puppets to his back.

"Ten minute head start Kankuro. Whenever you are ready."

"Humph, better give him fifteen. He can barely move with those things strapped to his back."

Kankuro curled his lip at his sister; trading insults before these training sessions was a ritual with them.

"And he might need some extra time to fix his make up."

"You're in an awfully big hurry to get your ass kicked. I might think that you had a big date later, but I know that your boyfriend's not here." Kankuro rolled his eyes upwards and did a passable imitation of Nara Shikamaru. "It's so bothersome."

"Humph. At least I go out, not like some people…"

Baki held up one hand, "I am starting the timer now."

Kankuro made one last face at his sister and ran towards the canyon's entrance, puppets bouncing at his back. Just as he reached it, there was an explosion of smoke. When it cleared, Kankuro was gone.

Ten minutes later Gaara entered the canyon, walking at a steady pace. He knew that there was an ambush waiting for him somewhere, there was no point in trying to avoid it. His defenses would counter just about anything, leaving him free to concentrate on his attack. Kankuro sometimes surprised him during these exercises, but he could not sustain anything long enough to beat his brother. But that never stopped Kankuro from trying.

Gaara scanned the ground ahead, there were no visible tracks. He suspected that Kankuro had gone to higher ground. That was his standard approach; get some place high and hidden and direct Karasu from there.

He glanced to the right and saw rocks and sand trickling down the canyon wall, but there was no one in sight. Then something exploded into the air behind him. It was the new puppet, Kuroari, rearing over him, all six arms spread wide. The saw tooth blades set in the top two pairs of arms scraped along the wall of sand that appeared in front of Gaara. He gestured and sand lashed out at the puppet. Kuroari sailed up and away from the sand, the bottom two arms pointed at him and steel needles hissed through the air. A bomb launched from the puppet and Gaara's view was obscured by a mist of thick white smoke (Kankuro did not use his poison bombs for these exercises, but a smoke filled substitute). Rocks rattled behind Gaara, he twisted around just in time to see Kankuro appear out of the haze of smoke. He was using one hand to control Kuroari and had kunai in his other hand. Kankuro flicked his wrist and the knives sailed through the air towards Gaara.

Gaara let his defenses block Kuroari's continued barrage, while he faced his brother. The most direct way to finish the contest would be to deal with Kankuro; without him the puppet was a harmless pile of wood and metal. A wave of sand flowed towards Kankuro. He jumped, trying to avoid the onslaught, but sand wrapped around his legs and pulled him down. The sand dragged him towards his brother.

Kankuro struggled, trying to keep his arms free and his head clear of the sand. He arched his back and tilted his chin up, glaring at his brother. Gaara directed sand to push him down but his brother kept resisting, arching to what had to be an uncomfortable angle. Gaara frowned; something was not quite right about it. Kankuro bared his teeth, showing a gap toothed grin that Gaara knew was not his brother's. Something snapped and his head bent so it was almost touching his back. Sand fell away to reveal Karasu's face. Its mouth opened wider and kunai flew out. They came so fast and with such force that Gaara had to step back. A wall of sand sprang up right in front of his nose and was quickly dotted with impact marks. He took another step back to give himself some space and almost fell into the dark maw of Kuroari's open torso.

Gaara extended his arm and sent a blast of sand into the puppet. The compartment slammed shut, just missing the tips of his fingers. The blast pushed Kuroari away from Gaara. Meanwhile Karasu had extracted itself from the sand and rose into the air. Both puppets began to circle Gaara and the barrage of weapons and smoke bombs started again.

Safe behind his revolving shields, Gaara regrouped. He had to find Kankuro. Smoke obscured everything, including his own actions. Gaara realized that Kankuro was providing him with cover. He pressed his hands together and concentrated.

High above Gaara, Kankuro crouched on a ledge, tucked behind a screen of rock and scrubby plants. It was a good safe place from which to direct his attack and Kankuro had made it even better the previous day by piling brush and rocks up to make a screen. Baki might consider that cheating, but Kankuro had to take any advantage he could get over his brother. Gaara no longer tried to sneak up on him at every opportunity, but it was still not pleasant to spar with him. Kankuro knew that blinding speed was the best way to get past his brother's defenses. He had been so close to trapping Gaara in Kuroari. He concentrated harder and both puppets began to circle even faster. Kankuro's spirits lifted with his puppets. He would make them fly and dive so fast that Gaara's shields would not be able to stop them.

He did not see the eyeball hovering in the air above him until it had taken a good look at his location.

"Oh hell no!"

Kankuro shifted control of both puppets to one hand. He used his free hand to throw a kunai at the eyeball. Kankuro cursed under his breath and reached for a smoke bomb. He was going to have to move to another spot. Just as his fingers curled around the bomb he felt the ground under his knees start to shift. He rose to his feet, but his perch was disintegrating, the rock dissolving into sand.

"Damn it!"

Kankuro threw himself back against the rock of the canyon wall, trying to find a hold with his free hand. He looked down and noticed that there were two colours of sand mixed together; one was the darker colour of the rocks around him and the other was lighter. Kankuro realized that it was the sand from Gaara's gourd. His brother had converted the rock to sand and mixed it with his own sand so he could control it.

Sand pinned Kankuro against the canyon wall for a moment and then started to drag him down towards his brother. He released control of Kuroari so he could increase the speed of his attacks with Karasu and he used his other hand to cast chakra strings at Gaara. If he could get control of one of his brother's arms then he could slow down the sand that was surrounding him.

Kankuro slid to a stop a dozen paces from Gaara, flat on his back. He was managing to keep his arms free, but his legs were pinned and sand was creeping up his body.

"This is over," Gaara said flatly.

"Like hell it is!"

Kankuro coughed out sand and struggled harder.

Gaara sighed, his brother would never admit defeat in these exercises. He did not want to hurt Kankuro but sometimes that is what it took to end their sparring sessions.

Gaara used sand to lift himself into the air. Kankuro was sending his chakra strings through the ground after him. Gaara had to be wary of them because sometimes they could pass through the sand shield. Karasu was avoiding Gaara's sand and continued to attack, its supply of weapons seemed endless. Kankuro was not going to beat him but there was no question that he was getting stronger.

Gaara frowned, there had to be some way to end this. He surveyed his surroundings; his thrashing, cursing brother, Karasu, and further away the new puppet. An idea occurred to Gaara and in a flash sand gathered around Kuroari, lifting it off the ground. Gaara moved the puppet closer so his brother could see it.

"Yield. Or…" he tightened the sand into a fist around Kuroari.

Kankuro's eyes went wide, "Bastard! Let him go!"

He tried to shake Kuroari free of the sand, but Gaara tightened his grip, making joints creak loudly. The sand creeping up Kankuro's chest was contracting so it was getting hard to breathe.

All at once Kankuro went limp, "Alright, alright. Let him go, damn it."

-0000-

"Kankuro, you should be watching this. You might learn something," Baki said.

Kankuro muttered something in reply, his voice muffled because he had his arms and upper body inside of Kuroari. From where Baki was sitting all he could see was Kankuro's legs. Baki had not noticed it before but the compartment in Kuroari's torso seemed a lot bigger than it looked from the outside.

"Kankuro."

Kankuro pulled his head out of Kuroari. He gestured and the doors on the compartment closed. Kankuro brushed sand off his puppet's shoulders.

"Bastard got sand everywhere. I'll have to clean and oil all the joints. It's worse than when all those stupid bugs got in Karasu."

He continued to grumble as he sat down beside Baki, "How am I supposed to learn anything from this anyways? You can't see anything for all the sand flying around."

"Humour me."

"Humph," Kankuro crossed his legs and rested his chin on one hand. He used his other hand to dab at his face paint, touching up spots that had been smudged during the fight. He winced when he touched the scrapes from his trip down the side of the canyon.

Baki watched his student. Kankuro was one of the few people who could spar with Gaara for any length of time, but he was still no match for the one-tailed demon and his human host. He was getting stronger, but it was hard to make him see that. Baki was never sure what approach to take with Kankuro because it was difficult for him to see the puppets as Kankuro did. He was offended by any reference to them as objects and put his attachment to them above all other considerations.

"Do you know how he beat you?"

Kankuro nodded, "He used Kuroari against me."

"That is correct. A shinobi cannot be affected by threats to…comrades. If you are more concerned about the harm that may come to them then completing a mission, you should not be in the field."

"I know that. It was just so much like the time… I made a promise to take care of them."

"I understand, but you cannot put their safety ahead of a mission."

"I know." Kankuro's jaw set in a stubborn line. "But I will continue as a shinobi and I will keep my promise. It just means I'll have to get so good that it won't ever come to that."

"The day may come Kankuro, when…"

"I know, Baki. I'll do the proper thing." Kankuro shifted, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around his legs. He rested his chin on his knees. "I know you think it's stupid. They are just metal and wood. But sometimes I can feel it when they get hurt. And when they fly…" He put his forehead on his knees for a moment and then looked at his teacher. "When they fly it feels like I can do anything. Did you see them today, Baki? They were so fast. I almost had him. A little more practice and I'll have it. Trial and error, that's the way to do it. A perfect performance."

"I saw them Kankuro. They were very fast. And you are making good on your promises, he would be proud."

Kankuro nodded, his face solemn.

"Gaara told me that you helped him with some research for his new move. It appears to have gone quite well. He thinks that he can expand his control of sand to create an ultimate defense for the village."

"I didn't do anything."

"No? Gaara seems to think otherwise."

"It was no big deal. Actually it was kind of stupid of me, since he used the new move to take me out. I think he can do his own damn research from now on."

Baki shook his head, but he had to smile. The Sand siblings were growing strong (and on some days they were even mature), the one-tailed demon was being put to its intended use, and the village was surviving. Kankuro was not the only one keeping his promises.

-0000-

Temari hurried through the greenhouse, looking for her brother. They had been assigned a mission and the time of the briefing had been changed.

Kankuro was near the back of the greenhouse. He was sitting on a stool in front of a growing tray with a book open in his lap. It seemed to Temari that he spent most of his time these days with his nose stuck in a book.

"Kankuro, hurry and finish whatever it is you're doing. We have to go."

"Why? What's going on?" Kankuro frowned at his sister.

For a moment Temari forgot what she was going to say. She had not seen Kankuro that morning before he left the house.

"What!? Do you have a problem?"

Temari cocked her head, staring at her brother. He had changed his face paint. The narrow, curved lines that gave him an almost feline appearance had been replaced by bold lines around his eyes and down his nose and chin.

"Stop staring and tell me what you want or go away. I'm busy here."

"Humph. Busy? You're just staring at a bunch of plants."

Kankuro rolled his eyes. He shut the book, "Not just any plants. Some of them can be used to make neurotoxins. I'm trying to increase my options for poisons. I want something that paralyzes temporarily."

Temari wrinkled her nose, "Wonderful, more smelly chemicals in the house. C'mon, they changed the time of our briefing. So touch up your make up and let's go."

Kankuro got to his feet, tucking the book under his arm, "Stop calling it make up. What happened? Why was it changed?"

"I don't know. But we need to go now."

"I'm coming." Kankuro followed her. "Oh and here, before I forget…" He brought a small jar out of his pocket and gave it to his sister.

Temari looked at it as she walked. It was a jar of lotion, made from many of the same components of Kankuro's face paint. It was a good sun block and an excellent moisturizer.

"Thanks."

"No need. Can't have you looking all old and wrinkly like your sensei."

He made a face at his sister. Temari shook her head and rolled her eyes. Kankuro might be getting taller, using new puppets, and changing his look, but he was still her goofy little brother.

-0000-

"Why did they wait so long? Twenty people. That's so many."

Temari looked at Baki. He was briefing them along with councilman Ibiki. The mission was to investigate a rash of disappearances from another village in the Land of Wind. Several of the people who had disappeared had been shinobi. The assignment was to find out what had happened and then deal with the problem.

"They probably thought they could handle it on their own at first. To come to us might be construed as a sign of weakness, so they must be pretty desperate," Baki said.

"Why are we even considering this mission? This clan helped the Sound attack us." Kankuro frowned at Ibiki.

"It is not your place to question our judgment. Just do your assignment without question or comment."

"Not my place? Like hell…"

"Kankuro," Baki said in warning.

"If you expect us to do our job properly, then we have to ask questions." Kankuro pointed to the map spread out on the table in front of them, "They all disappeared way out in the middle of nowhere. That's not on a trade route or anything. What were those people doing? And the shinobi who disappeared, were they investigating or were they out there for some other reason?"

"Kankuro's right." Temari had been reading over the assignment description. "Something's a little off here. If this is an ongoing problem why are there no investigation notes? Surely they looked into the matter first before coming to us. There's nothing here, not even about the people who disappeared."

Baki nodded, "That is a problem. That is why the briefing was originally set for tomorrow. I had requested additional information so we could make an appropriate ranking for this mission. However we have not received anything. The timeline for the mission was accelerated on a request by the daimyo. Perhaps you could explain it to us Ibiki?"

"Since when does the daimyo get to dictate what missions we accept?"

"Since it became obvious that this village could not manage its shinobi properly. Assignments mishandled, inadequate man power, undeserved promotions, unnatural…" Ibiki's eyes flicked over Gaara. "Someone has to keep order among you shinobi."

"Then stop interfering and let the council pick the next Kazekage!" Kankuro planted his hands on the table and leaned forward, glaring at Ibiki. "And just watch what you say or I'll…"

"Will this mission help the village?" Gaara asked. As usual he was unaffected by Ibiki's insults.

"Aside from the fee it will bring in, there is the possibility that it will ease tensions among clans. Just the fact that they came to us is a good sign," Baki said.

"Then we should go and help them, before anyone else disappears," Gaara said.

"I don't want to see anyone else hurt Gaara, but we need some idea of what we are getting into," Temari said. "Can't we wait until the additional information arrives?"

"Stalling is the same as refusing a mission. If you cannot handle this, then perhaps we ought to rethink the agreement we made regarding your inheritances."

"I knew it!" Kankuro thumped his fist on the table. "I knew you'd bring that up. You're just trying to force us into something dangerous. Just like always."

"We'll do it. We will go and if any additional data comes in you can send it to us," Gaara said.

"I suppose we could do that," Temari thought for a moment. "We could go to the village first and get a briefing there."

"That would mean some extra travel time, but that is a good idea," Baki said.

Kankuro nodded in agreement while he narrowed his eyes at Ibiki. He wondered who had paid whom to get this mission set up.

-0000-

"Well," Kankuro spread his arms out, "where do we start? With the miles of desert to the left or with the miles of sand to the right? Or maybe with the big pile of rocks in the middle. There's nothing here. And if there was, all sign is long gone."

"There may be nothing above ground," Gaara said, "but there is something below ground. There are caverns that extend out from that cluster of rocks. I can sense them all over."

"That might be a good place to start. Can you sense anything in them? Anything alive that is." Temari asked.

Gaara's eyes narrowed as he concentrated.

"This is new," Temari said in an undertone.

Kankuro nodded, "A variation on that third eye jutsu."

Temari raised her eyebrows but made no other comment. This was turning into one of those frustrating type of missions that they were sent on far too often. They would be given a vague goal, little information, and it was always urgent. Their visit to the village that had hired them had been unproductive. They had been told nothing new and had been met with outright hostility.

"Maybe we should forget about this. It just seems wrong."

"I don't think we can Temari. You heard Ibiki, he would use it as an excuse."

"He can't go back on his word and besides, you have nothing to worry about. Kuroari is working."

"But not Shanshouo. And what about you?"

"No, but I'm close."

"That won't help if he convinces the council that we have failed."

"Baki wouldn't let that happen."

"He can't look out for us forever. Temari haven't you realized it yet? They keep sending us on these crazy missions to try and get Gaara killed and to make us look bad."

Temari sighed, Kankuro might be right.

Gaara relaxed, "There are many life forms. I cannot tell if they are human though."

"What else would there be?"

"Snakes, bugs, spiders."

Temari thought for a moment, "Can you tell if there is some place where there is a high concentration of life forms? If there are bodies, then there would be lots of bugs gathering, right?"

Gaara nodded and folded his hands under his chin again. Kankuro and Temari watched and waited. After a few minutes he opened his eyes again.

"I have located two sites with high concentrations of life forms."

"Any preferences on which one to look into first?"

"We should split up. You two go together and I will investigate the other site."

"Do you think it's okay for you to go alone, Gaara?"

Gaara blinked in that slow, deliberate way he had, "I am not alone."

"Uh, right."

Temari shrugged, "He has a point. Do we have a lantern? It sounds like we are going underground."

"Yeah. Okay, Gaara show us the way."

-0000-

Kankuro gestured at the ground in front of them, "There's been recent foot traffic here too."

The clump of rocks Kankuro had pointed out were riddled with caves and were the source of the life forms Gaara had detected. Temari and Kankuro were exploring one that had turned into a long tunnel. It did not look man made to Kankuro, but he could not be sure.

He was carrying a small lantern. He held it over a series of lines and smudges, "Something was dragged here. And there are these other marks. Not sure what they are. But they're all old."

Temari raised her eyebrows, "Since when did you become an expert at tracking?"

"I'm no expert. Just picked up a few pointers here and there. Aren't you the one who always says that I need to broaden my skill set, _nii-chan_?"

"Humph. Not sure I like your tone, _otōto-chan_."

A deep rumbling sound stopped their banter.

"Was that an earthquake?"

"Don't think so. I didn't feel anything. And it came from behind us, not all around."

Kankuro held up the lantern and slipped the shield back. He watched the small flame for a few moments.

"Damn it. I think I know what it was. Something just got pushed across the entrance we used. There was a bit of a breeze along here, but it's stopped."

"A trap? I didn't see anything."

"Neither did I, but…"

"Right."

"What do we do? Go back or go on."

"Well, if we want to find out what's going on, then forward is the direction we need to go."

Kankuro nodded.

"Be ready and pay attention, Kankuro."

They walked for another ten minutes until the tunnel opened into a large cave. They stopped and peered into the dark ahead of them.

Temari wrinkled her nose, "It smells funny."

Kankuro peered ahead. Natural light filtered in from cracks in the ceiling of the cavern, but it was still pretty hard to see. Something off to his left caught his attention; it reminded him of a bundled puppet.

"Keep an eye out while I look at this," he handed her the lamp.

He approached and squatted down in front of the object, ready to jump away at any sign of a trap. Up close it really looked like a puppet bundled in dirty white cloth. Bugs raced away in all directions when he touched it with one hand. The wrappings felt strange; slick when he ran his fingers in one direction and rough when he ran them along at a different angle. Underneath that he could feel something solid that yielded to his touch. More bugs scuttled away. He pressed a little harder and his fingers became damp. The strange fruity smell became stronger.

Kankuro stood and wiped his fingers on his leg, "Damn. I think we found some of those life forms Gaara mentioned. And I think we found one of our missing people. Or at least what's left of him. Or her."

"What?" Temari took a quick look over her shoulder and then went back to her lookout duty.

"This is a body and there are a bunch more further over. I think I know what this is Temari. Look sharp, it's probably in here with us."

"What?"

"The white stuff is silk. Spider silk."

"But that's…"

"Yeah, a damn big spider."

Kankuro flicked his eyes around the cave trying to see into corners and crevices. Something rumbled close by, a large slab of stone rolled across the entrance they had just used.

"Damn it. Did you see…?"

"No!"

Kankuro shook his head, there was no way that they had both missed two traps. Somehow they were being watched and someone had closed the passage behind them. And now they were trapped in this cave with one, or more, oversized arachnids.

As if summoned by his thoughts, a spider sprang out of a dark corner at them. Brother and sister both jumped out of the way. Temari dropped the lantern and had her fan off her back in an instant.

"Is there room for that in here?"

Temari's only response was a derisive snort. She opened her fan so one large purple dot was visible and launched her attack. The spider was facing them, its front legs raised and jaws twitching. The blast from Temari's fan tumbled it away from them. It slammed against the rocky wall of the cavern with a moist thud.

Kankuro was slipping Karasu of his back when he a second spider dropped down on his back. He was propelled forward until he was pushed against a wall. There was a hissing and clicking behind him and he was pulled back and slammed into the wall again. His puppets were between him and the spider. Kankuro twisted to get a better look at his opponent. The spider was huge, its head almost at Kankuro's shoulder. It was reared up a little, using its weight to pin him.

Kankuro tried to remember everything he had read about spiders. He had been reading to learn more about their venom, but had been intrigued by some of their hunting methods. This type of spider was an ambush attacker that grabbed their prey, pinned them to a solid surface, and then used their fangs to inject a paralyzing venom. This spider, however, had not counted on its prey having two wooden and metal puppets strapped to his back. Its fangs had sunk into Karasu's body and they were stuck. The spider was rocking back and forth, trying to dislodge itself so it could attack again.

There was a rush of air and a crash nearby, Temari was still engaged with the first spider. The spider slammed Kankuro against the wall again. He took another peek behind him; eight shiny black eyes glinted at him in the dim light of the cave. Its fangs were very close to his head. Those fangs were strong enough to punch through insect shells and even leather in a normal sized spider. Kankuro slipped one hand to the canvas bindings around his puppets and pushed his fingers between the straps to loosen them.

"Eight legged freak, get your stupid face out of my puppet!"

For a moment it looked like the spider had sprouted an extra pair of legs, but the two new limbs that had appeared above its head were not attached. They were as thick as the spider's sturdy black legs, but were jointed in different places, had hands on one end, and sharp spikes on the other. The spiked ends jabbed down at the spider's beady eyes.

The spider hissed and twitched. The puppet limbs stabbed again and Kankuro was able to wrench free. He darted away from the spider into the clearing in the center of the cavern. He wanted to make sure that Karasu was alright. He had felt the impact of the fangs into Karasu's wooden body all through his own body. He dropped the bundles to the ground and a few moments later both puppets emerged. Karasu was short a pair of arms and had two holes near the top of his torso, but his gears and joints were not damaged. Although he wanted to, Kankuro dared not touch the damage because it was possible that there might be some venom around the punctures and it could be adsorbed through his skin.

The spider was still hissing and writhing, Kankuro had managed to stab out three of its eyes. He recalled the limbs into Karasu's body.

"Heh, not so much fun when someone else does the stabbing."

The spider whirled around and reared up, its jaws opened up and it spit at Kankuro. He had half-expected this; some spiders could spit or inject digestive enzymes at or into their targets. Kankuro dodged away from a direct hit and something exploded into the wall on the other side of the cavern.

"Oh, shit!"

The spider had spit a ball of chakra at him. It had missed him, but the force of its passing was enough to knock him to the ground and make a sizable impact crater in the rock wall.

Kankuro rolled to his feet; Karasu rose into the air and then dove at the spider, mouth open to release kunai. At the same time Kuroari dove low, arms spread wide, serrated blades poised to cut the spider's legs out from underneath it. The spider squealed and hissed, maddened by the pain and half blind. It began to release wild chakra blasts in a desperate attempt to hit any of its tormentors.

Kankuro kept up his attacks while he looked for a safer position. The spider was having a hard time sighting in without all of its eyes, but it might get a lucky shot. He took a quick look at his sister to see how she was faring.

Temari had also realized that the spider's eyes were a weak spot and had managed to damage them with a combination of kunai and wind scythe attacks. She looked like she was only one or two strikes away from finishing her opponent off.

"Temari, watch out!"

Another spider dropped down behind her as she raised her fan to deliver another blow. The new spider caught the fan at the highest point of her backswing. Its front legs gripped tight while its jaws latched onto the lacquered wood and webbing of the fan. Wood splintered and cracked and there was a tearing noise. The spider sprang backwards and Temari was pulled off her feet and onto her back, still clutching her weapon. It dragged her a few feet before she let go, springing back to her feet. The spider ripped and mauled the fan before dropping it and advancing on Temari. The wounded spider behind her gathered itself into a menacing stance.

Temari crouched, ready for an attack from either side. She reached into her sleeve and drew out a fan and filled her other hand with kunai. She opened the fan and shook it so it rattled. The fan could not be used for wind attacks or defensive moves, it was too small. Temari would have to be careful with her attacks; the fan had a sharp, lethal edge that was also fragile. It would only take one or two strikes against the tough exoskeleton of the spider to dull or nick the fan and then it would be useless.

The unwounded spider feinted at her and Temari threw her kunai at it. The other spider started to attack, but a dark brown figure crashed down on top of it, arms spread wide. Kuroari's long arms wrapped around the spider, cutting into the softer parts of its underbelly. The spider reared up. It spat out a blast of chakra that went straight up and exploded against the ceiling of the cavern. Temari took the opportunity to run out from between the two spiders. The spider crashed back down to the ground with the puppet clinging to its back. It fired off another wild blast that hit the spider that had destroyed Temari's fan. It crumpled to the ground.

Karasu was still bombarding a spider with needles and knives; it was getting weaker. It sent one last chakra blast after Karasu which missed and exploded against the roof of the cavern. There was an ominous rumbling.

Kankuro glanced up; the blasts had hit the openings to the cavern. The openings were made with sand and silk and the spiders would spring out of to capture prey. He and Temari must have used a secondary entrance of some sort. The chakra blasts had damaged the openings and weakened the ceiling.

"Temari, can you get that door open?!"

Temari ran to the door and began to inspect it for a locking mechanism or anything that she could use to open it. A bomb might work, she thought, but that would bring the whole cave down on their heads.

A large chunk of rock crashed to the ground just missing the body of the spider that had first attacked Kankuro. As far as he could tell, it was dead. Their original attacker had serious wounds while the third spider was still a threat. Kankuro put himself between the two spiders and his sister. The cave was crumbling around them, but all he felt was a heady rush. His puppets were answering his commands and they were both so fast, so amazing. And they were _his_. He knew every joint, every gear as well as he knew his own body. No one was ever going to take them away.

Temari joined him, "We aren't getting out that way."

Kankuro acknowledged the information with a grunt and kept on fighting, a fierce grin spreading across his face. Temari felt her own grin start. It was a strange time to feel a burst of pride in her little brother, but there it was. Kankuro was an excellent shinobi, not some goofy kid who swore and complained, always had his head stuck in some book, or tinkered with his overgrown toys. He would fight on and on, never giving up on any mission and was always trying to become better at his art.

"Stop playing, or can't you finish them off?"

"Don't see you doing anything. But then they did take away your toys. Just climb out of here Temari. I can keep them busy."

Temari scanned the walls of the cavern, looking for hand holds and a route that would be safe. The problem was that the ceiling of the cave was starting to collapse, once she got to the top there would be no solid holds to use to climb out.

More rock crashed to the ground beside them.

"Neither of us is climbing out of here, the whole place is going to collapse."

One of the spiders collapsed and the other scuttled away, retreating into one of the crevices in the side of the cave. Kankuro recalled both his puppets. He looked up.

"Then we will have to fly."

Kuroari landed beside them and his torso opened up.

"Get in."

Temari started to protest, there was no way she was crawling into that dark space, even if she did fit. Kankuro grabbed her arm and pushed her inside. She twisted around so she was facing the front. A large white bundle was thrust into her arms.

"Here, hang on to him."

More rocks crashed down around them and there was a deep rumbling. The entire cave was collapsing.

Temari could see past Karasu's bulk and over her brother's shoulder. Something large and dark loomed behind him.

"Kankuro watch out!"

Her brother was jerked away from her line of site. Temari heard a hissing sound followed by a thud and a yell. Before she could work her way out of Kuroari, Kankuro reappeared and climbed into the puppet.

"Move back," he ordered, his voice hoarse.

Temari shifted back and Kankuro joined them. The compartment doors slammed shut behind them. Temari could not believe that they had all fit inside. Light filtered into the puppet's interior through slits in its sides. Kankuro braced his hands on either side of the puppet's interior.

"Hold on."

An expression of intense concentration settled across his features. The puppet lifted off the ground.

"Someone needs to lose some weight," Kankuro grunted and made a face at his sister.

The was a loud crash and a crack as something bounced off the puppet's exterior. Kankuro gasped and his face screwed up as though he was in pain.

"Kankuro…"

He shook his head and his intense expression deepened. They continued to lift into the air as rocks rained down around them, rocking the puppet back and forth.

"Almost there," he panted.

Something hissed around them; they were jerked to the left and thrown against the side of the puppet. They began to move faster.

Kankuro's eyes went wide, "That's not me."

They tumbled through the air, hit the ground with a crash, rolled, and then skidded to a stop. Kuroari jerked upright and his torso opened. Kankuro climbed out, pulling Karasu with him. Temari followed, squinting in the bright desert sunlight.

Sand was settling over a large hole in the ground. Gaara was standing not too far away, arms folded over his chest.

"Gaara!"

Temari realized what had happened, Gaara had used his sand to help them escape.

"Did you find spiders and bodies as well?"

Temari nodded.

"They were all destroyed? They won't hurt anyone else now?"

Temari gestured at the hole, "I don't think anything survived that. What do you think, Kankuro?"

Her brother was not listening. He was standing over Kuroari, a pained expression on his face. One of the puppet's red horns was bent and its jaw was hanging loose. There were dents all over its body.

Kankuro touched the damaged horn, his hand was shaking, "I can fix this. He's okay," he muttered.

"Kankuro!"

His head snapped around, eyes wide, "What?"

"Are you okay?"

Temari stepped closer, frowning. There was a tear in the side of Kankuro's jumpsuit. Raw looking flesh showed through the rent.

"What happened?"

"Don't touch me!" he slapped at her reaching hand.

"Kankuro!"

"I'm fine." He began to wrap Kuroari up. "So, Gaara, you ran into some trouble too?"

Gaara nodded, "What type of spider were they?"

"Nothing natural that's for sure. Normal spiders certainly don't spit chakra bombs."

Gaara frowned, "Chakra bombs?"

"Yeah. You didn't…"

"They did not have the opportunity."

"Uh, right. So what do we do now?"

Temari thought for a moment, "Well, we know what was causing the disappearances. And we have put a stop to it. Are there any more places out here with these things?"

"These are the only sites I could sense. If there are more they are not anywhere close."

"Well, those things didn't just set up shop out here and those people didn't just wander out here," Kankuro slipped his bundled puppets onto his shoulders. "We still need to find out why this happened."

"We could go back to the village and ask some more questions, but I don't think we will get anymore answers than last time."

"Not if we ask a little less politely this time," Kankuro adjusted the bulky bundles, trying to hide a wince as they brushed against his ribs.

"No Kankuro. You swearing at them won't help," Temari made a frustrated noise. "I don't like it anymore than you, but I think we have done all we can do. Let's go home."

"But…"

"We have fulfilled our assignment. We have identified the threat and eliminated it," Gaara said.

Kankuro did not look convinced.

"Don't worry Kankuro. There's no way Sumisu-san can say anything against this. We completed the mission. Everything is fine."

Kankuro nodded, still looking unhappy. His hands clenched around the straps holding the bundled puppets to his back.

"And you'll fix it no problem." Temari gestured to the puppets with her chin. She wrinkled her nose. "And make sure to clean out its inside. It smelled horrible in there."

"Not _it_! Him! Kuroari."

-0000-

"Temari! What the hell?! Do you ever knock?"

Temari frowned at her brother. The workshop door had been closed, a sure sign that Kankuro did not want to be disturbed, but Temari had ignored that. She had some questions about the report they were preparing about their last mission. And she was worried about her brother. Kankuro had disappeared after they had returned from the mission ten days ago. He had missed meals and some nights did not make it into his bed. Her eyes flicked to the wall where his puppets were hanging. Both had been repaired. She thought that Kuroari's horns might be a different shade of red than before, but otherwise there was no sign that they had ever been damaged.

It was a somewhat different story with Kankuro. He dropped his arm to glare at his sister. He had been caught in the act of rubbing some sort of ointment on the mostly healed burn that ran down his ribs and onto his back.

"I knew it! That bug spit acid or something on you. Right at the end. That's going to leave a horrible scar."

"Not acid. It was some sort of digestive enzyme. And spiders aren't bugs." Kankuro began to pull the top half of his coveralls on. "And what shinobi doesn't have a scar or two?"

Temari made an irritated noise, "You should have said something."

"It's no big deal. I had a doctor check it out and I'm fine. What do you want? I'm busy here."

He gestured at his workbench. It looked like he was in the middle of making more face paint. Once he had his clothes back in place he picked up a mortar and pestle and began grinding away at something.

"Busy, hah. Busy trying to avoid work." She brandished the report she was carrying. "I have some questions about this. And I think you should write up the final version. It'll be good practice for when you make chunin. If you ever do."

"You're just trying to get out of it."

"Do as your team leader says. I want to go over the sections you wrote. Then you can write the final draft. Besides, your writing is neater than mine."

It was true, although Temari found it hard to believe that her messy brother had such nice writing. And much of the report was his work so it made sense that he should write it up.

"Humph. What questions?"

"A couple of your arguments need to be stronger. The way it reads doesn't really explain why you want to implicate Orochimaru in this."

"Those weren't normal spiders. Someone was keeping them out there, giving them a steady supply of food. They were feeding on chakra too, I think."

"They could've belonged to some insect using clan."

"For the last time, they were spiders not insects! Eight legs, two body segments, no chewing mouth parts, and no wings. I looked it up, there is no record of any clan using spiders for their jutsu and none of the insect using clans grow their insects so large. It would to take a huge amount of chakra to keep them alive because their bodies aren't designed to get so big. That's why I think they were feeding on the chakra as well as flesh." Kankuro frowned. "The thing about Orochimaru is mostly just a feeling. I read this report a while ago about how they found all these abandoned laboratories after he left the Leaf. The guy had them everywhere and was experimenting on all sorts of crazy stuff."

Temari nodded, "It's a sound argument, but you need to put in more of what you just said to back it up. Also, look up the number of that report and put it in as a reference, and maybe add some more of the basic insect…"

"Spider," Kankuro corrected.

"Alright. Add some more _spider_ biology stuff. How did you know all that anyways?"

Kankuro shrugged, "I was reading about their venom."

"Just lovely. Can't you read anything normal?"

"I would _nii-chan_, but someone keeps taking my books away."

Temari wrinkled her nose at him, "That smutty stuff is just as bad." She waved the report at him. "Don't change the subject, there's still more you need to change. The last couple of paragraphs are going to cause a problem, Kankuro. I don't know that you should leave them in. And if you do…well, they have to be rewritten. They're just too much like an accusation."

"_Like_ an accusation? It was an accusation. Temari, we were sent out there to be soup for some spider! Someone was probably running out of the local supply of shinobi."

"That's possible, but I don't think that anyone on the council was in on it."

"Oh no? We were sent in blind on purpose." Kankuro put the mortar and pestle down and swiveled his stool around to face his sister. "I wonder Temari, what would have happened if one of those things had managed to take Gaara down? What would have been the result? If those things could extract chakra…"

Temari sighed, "I suppose you could be right, Kankuro. But it won't do any good to be so blunt about it. I put some suggestions in here that will help you tone it down a bit. Use them."

"Okay." He did not look happy about it. "But we have to do something because it's not going to stop. And as strong as he is, the day is going to come…" He looked down at his hands which were clenched together in his lap. When he continued it was as though he was talking to himself. "I have to get strong enough to help him. I promised."

"Kankuro, I…" Footsteps interrupted her.

Kankuro looked up, his worried expression turning to annoyance, "What the hell is it today? When was this place declared the town square, damn it?"

Gaara appeared in the doorway. Kankuro was alerted when he saw his brother's face; Gaara looked almost impatient. Something was going on.

"We have a mission," he announced. "Hurry and get ready."

Temari raised her eyebrows.

"The Fifth Hokage has requested our help."

"What?!" Both the older Sand siblings exclaimed.

Gaara told them about the mission, "We need to go _now_."

"The Uchiha moron huh? What's with the 'bring him back' crap anyways? He's a deserter. Just send a special ops squad after him and take him out."

"No Kankuro," Temari said, "Tsunade-sama can't do that. He's almost the last of his clan, there would be political repercussions. But it was a poor choice for a team. That group hardly knows the meaning of teamwork. It's going to make it hard for us. I'll bet that by the time we get there it will have dissolved into a series of one-on-one battles. We'll be forced to split up too."

"I will be the one to help Naruto," Gaara said. Again, his voice held an unusual amount of emotion.

Kankuro looked at his sister. "And let me guess, you're going to help your darling Shikamaru. So I get stuck with…the meat tank guy, that snotty Hyuuga guy, the nut in the green leotard, or the guy with the…what was it…a rat. Humph."

"The Inuzukas are dog users Kankuro." Temari wrinkled her nose at him. "You can exchange make up tips."

"Stop calling it…"

"Enough! Hurry and get ready!"

"Okay, Gaara. Keep your sand in." Kankuro slid off his stool. "If nothing else, I'll enjoy kicking some Sound ass. Have you figured out how to get that weasel to do stuff, Temari? I think you're going to need him."

"No worries. Our only problem will be getting there before it's too late. Someone is too chubby to run fast."

Kankuro grinned at his sister, "Just watch us, _nii-chan_. We're going to fly. And then we're going to put on one hell of a show."

A/N-This chapter has references as well as the standard 'I don't own most of the characters' disclaimer. Sasori got some of his ideas for tactics from the great Master Sun-Tzu. The anonymous essay that confused Kankuro uses ideas from Lucretius and Aristotle (father of all the ologies). I got information on ants from the Japanese Ant Image Database and information on trapdoor spiders from Jason Bond's ECU web site (and links therein). Not sure what species those things were, but they were not _A. stephencolberti_ or _M. neilyoungi_. The armour that Kankuro found so interesting is real. An excellent specimen is in the Malbork Castle's museum of medieval armour. All inaccuracies about any of these things are my fault. The details of how Kankuro came to posses one of Kakashi's books are in my other story 'Used Paradise for Sale' (someone give it a review, please!). Some readers may have noticed that I gave one of Karasu's attacks to Kuroari. But really, it just makes more sense for a Formicine ant to have that particular attack. Sorry, but I'm not taking it back. You may now commence throwing kunai. HW2


	5. The Incomplete Mission

Five-The Incomplete Mission

"Did you ever figure out the origins of those arachnids?"

It took Baki a moment to figure out what Ebizo was asking, "No we did not."

"Hmm, that is unfortunate. I do remember that report. The arguments were well constructed and backed with appropriate facts. Is it true that the boy wrote most of it?"

"Yes. I did the final draft because they were called away so suddenly."

Ebizo made a disgruntled sound.

"Ebizo-jii-sama?"

"I should know better of course, but I have a difficult time reconciling such excellent prose and ratiocination with the boy's rough demeanor. And it is not an act; he is truly both things at the same time."

"I am sure, Ebizo-jii-sama, that you will be able to smooth some of his rougher edges."

"Humph! I doubt that very much. What I must teach him is to balance his passion and his reason. For example, while his protective instincts are admirable, they can be dangerous when he relies on them alone."

"That is what got him in trouble with Sasori."

"Correct. And he is overly attached to his puppets. I saw the look on his face when he saw Chiyo-nii-chan that day. He thought that she was coming to reclaim them."

"What happened after was my fault Ebizo-jii-sama. I should have told him that I asked you to come. It would have been less of a shock for him and he might not have reacted as he did."

Ebizo sighed, "I had never been subjected to such foul language. And yet…he was so weak and still able to control them."

Baki nodded, remembering. The hospital had been quiet. The Leaf shinobi had left to rest before they started their search for Gaara. Kankuro's bed was still surrounded by the pieces of Karasu and Kuroari. Baki was not sure where Shanshouo was; it had been too big to bring into the room.

Baki was not sure if he had made a mistake by calling on Ebizo and Chiyo. Baki had gone seeking Chiyo's help, but it had been Ebizo who been the most useful; offering practical suggestions, useful information, and managing his sister. The only thing that had interested Chiyo was the reappearance of Sasori.

Ebizo was still in the room, apparently deep in thought (or asleep, it was always hard to tell with elderly people). A medic passed through to check on Kankuro. The Leaf kunoichi had said that he would recover; it would just take time and patience.

"That is if you can get him to be patient. I'll bet that he probably doesn't listen to anything you tell him," Sakura grinned at Baki. "He has that same look to him that Naruto does. Stubborn beyond belief." Then she went red and apologized for being critical about someone who was sick.

Baki waved her apology away with a short laugh, "No, no, you are right. And as his doctor it is your prerogative to be critical."

The girl giggled behind her hand and then her face became serious, "It's hard to see those you love get in trouble." She looked around the room. "Will he be able to fix these?"

Baki was not sure. Kankuro had always managed before, but his puppets had never suffered this much damage, "If anyone can, it will be Kankuro."

"That's good. And please tell him I expect him to follow my orders," she waved a finger at Baki. "I want to see him up and around when we bring his brother back."

Sakura left, Baki stayed and watched over Kankuro, and Ebizo continued with his thinking (sleeping?). Another medic came in, saying that he should move the puppets out of the way. Ebizo stirred and offered to help.

"No, no, Ebizo-jii-sama, that is not necessary."

The medic picked up a section of puppet. Ebizo picked up an arm.

"What the hell are you doing? Put him down!" Kankuro's voice was hoarse. "You can't have him. He's mine."

The startled medic dropped the section he was holding. It broke into two when it hit the floor. Kankuro growled and tried to sit.

Baki stepped forward, "Kankuro, calm down."

Kankuro glared at Ebizo, "Put him down. He's mine!"

Ebizo was watching Kankuro with a speculative expression on his face, but he did not let go of the arm. This made Kankuro growl and bare his teeth at the old man.

He flexed his hands and the damaged puppets jerked into the air. The medic gasped and backed away.

Baki touched the medic's elbow, "Get help and bring a sedative."

The medic nodded and scurried away. Baki took a step closer to Kankuro.

"Kankuro, it's all right. Just rest now."

Kankuro shook his head, "No!"

He struggled to maintain his connection to the puppets, gasping with the effort. Baki could not believe that he was able to do anything because of the poison still left in his body.

Ebizo was still holding the puppet's arm. He had not said anything or moved.

Kankuro snarled, "Put him the fuck down!"

Ebizo's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the harsh language and he let go.

Baki took hold of Kankuro's arm and pushed him back down onto the bed.

"Let me go, damn it!"

He tried to twist away from Baki. Several of the pieces floating in the air moved towards the bed.

Baki pinned Kankuro's wrist to the bed, "Enough Kankuro. Stop this now."

Kankuro protested and tried to twist away, glaring at Ebizo the whole time. Baki could feel him trembling with the effort of controlling his puppets. He was going to do some permanent damage to himself unless he calmed down. And it was possible that he might attack Ebizo, he seemed to think that the old man was going to take his puppets away.

"I need… I have to…Gaara. Get the hell off of me!"

Baki could feel the presence of a deadly limb behind him, but he did not let go. Instead, he leaned forward, using more of his weight to hold the boy down.

A medic appeared at his elbow, darting nervous glances at the objects suspended in the air.

"Kankuro calm down or…"

Kankuro saw the syringe in the medic's hand and began to struggle even harder. A second medic appeared and grabbed his legs. Kankuro kicked him, sending him sprawling. He got up and after a short struggle, pinned Kankuro down so the first medic could administer the sedative. Kankuro yelled in protest. He had stopped glaring at Ebizo and was giving Baki a dismayed look.

The sedative worked fast and in a few moments Kuroari and Karasu settled to the floor. Kankuro kept on protesting; he needed the puppets, he was not done with them, he had to get his brother, but his movements became weaker as he slipped into sleep. He gave Baki one last dismayed, anguished look, murmured something, and then went limp.

Baki released his arm and stepped back, allowing the medic to move in to check on Kankuro. He gestured to the other medic.

"Let's gather these up and move them over there," he pointed, "so he can see them when he wakes up." He looked at Ebizo. "Ebizo-jii-sama are you alright? I am sorry."

The old man waved the apology away, "No need. What did he say to you at the end, Baki?"

Baki looked down at the bed and sighed, "I promised and so did you."

Baki looked up from his reminiscing, aware that some time had passed, "Ebizo-jii-sama, it is late. Are you sure you want to finish this tonight?"

"I am. That is, if our hostess is willing to put up with our continued imposition on her hospitality."

"It is no imposition and has been more instructive than I had expected. If you do not mind I have a question."

"Please, ask away."

"Why has he never tried to make his own puppets? I have wondered about this and so has Keiko-chan. We wondered why he has never…now what was the term she used…reverse engineered his own puppets to design a new one."

"That is a very good question," Ebizo said. "Baki do you know why?"

"Yes. He has thought about it, but those two essays, they made him uncertain. He said that he did not know which was the trap and which was the truth. Sasori's ideas made him uneasy; they were not what he had expected from the man who was considered a genius."

"I suppose that is for the best, now that we now what he did when he left the village."

Baki nodded, "Yes, Kankuro was appalled when he heard that Sasori had made people into puppets. To know that the same man who made his puppets had done such a thing…"

"And the other essay?"

"While it did help him understand Kuroari, he said that it rambled on so much that it was hard to tell what it meant about puppet making, other then to disagree with Sasori's ideas. I tried reading it myself once and I got less out of it then he did. I suppose there is a good reason why it was anonymous."

Ebizo let out a disgruntled snort, for some reason he looked insulted. After a moment, the reason why came to Baki.

"I...er…Ebizo-jii-sama, I did not mean to imply…"

Baki's sister laughed, "Otōto-chan, you are getting slow in your old age. You should have recognized it immediately. You have always laboured in the background, Ebizo-sama and the village is much better for it. But that book did not have wide circulation. So why not sign your name?"

Ebizo sighed, "I wanted to. What Sasori wrote was an invitation to dangerous thinking and it hinted at things that were best left alone. Chiyo-nii-chan did not want the paper submitted at all. She said that it would look bad to have us arguing, even in print. But mostly she would not see anything negative said about him. However, I could not let his views be published without comment. An anonymous submission seemed the best solution."

"Whatever the circumstances, it means that you have helped the boy already. And neither of you knew it," her fan flicked up to cover the lower half of her face. "I apologize, it is not appropriate of me to find it so amusing."

"Not at all. I suppose that this is just another example of how men can be such fools?"

"That is not it at all," she said, but the glint in her eyes told Ebizo that she was thinking exactly that.

"Did your friend know about this when she directed him to that book?"

"I do not know. Maybe. Keiko-chan never does anything for one reason alone. Her mind is a maze, a well tended maze, but it can be a confusing and sometimes dangerous place to go."

"Is that so? Has is ever occurred to you Baki, that the true power of this village lies with our kunoichi? We men go around proclaiming our strength and passion and all the while, they are the ones who get things done."

"I have been very aware of it, Ebizo-jii-sama, for many years," Baki grinned at his sister. "When I was younger, I witnessed many demonstrations of this truth."

Ebizo chuckled, "Yes, I imagine that you did. I will say this, the Fourth Kazekage made many mistakes, but he made an excellent choice when he picked you and your sister to train his children."

"It has been an honour. But please, I have done very little."

"Humph."

The old man fell silent, digesting all that he had heard so far; adding it to the store of information collected over his long life. His sister was not the only one who had been changed by recent events. For the first time in decades, Ebizo found that he had the urge to interact, to be involved. Ebizo had not returned to his seclusion after his sister's death; much to his own surprise he stayed involved. He had agreed to help to hunt for Akatsuki hideouts and now he was taking on a student. What would be next? Missions? He suspected that some of the urge was due to loneliness, but there was something else too. Something about this new generation of shinobi had aroused his curiosity. For example, there was the fierce determination and spirit of the Uzumaki boy. While he proclaimed that he would be Hokage some day, Ebizo thought that he would do something more important by changing the way the world saw the nine demons and the people who became their vessels.

Chiyo-nii-chan, he thought, you would not recognize me like this. But I will do this right; I will make him into the greatest of us.

"Did he take the same approach to mastering Shanshouo as he did with Kuroari?"

Baki shook his head, "He had no problem learning how to control all three puppets at once. Shanshouo posed a different challenge."

"What was that?"

"How to carry such a large puppet."

"That is obvious: scrolls."

"It is obvious to you Ebizo-jii-sama. But making that sort of scroll is not a well known art. Small weapons are one thing, but for an object the size of Shanshouo… It took time for him to find the right person to help him," Baki sighed, "and as always, there was interference and delay."

"What happened?"

"My failures came back to haunt me and unfortunately they chose to haunt him as well."

"Hmm. Tell me, please."

Baki took a deep breath, "It is not a very pleasant story, at least to start. It actually begins with my last mission. You see…"

"No."

They both looked at Baki's sister. She bowed in apology.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but you should not tell this tale."

"I am sorry to disagree, but I need to know how the boy has developed thus far."

"I understand. That is not what I meant. What I meant is that you should not tell this story, otōto-chan. You are too close to it to do a proper job. If you do not mind, I will finish this."

Baki gestured for her to do so. He was surprised and relieved; it would have been difficult to tell it and keep his emotions in check.

His sister bowed again. She tucked her fan out of sight and clasped her hands together in her lap.

"There is a foreign saying: those who plot the destruction of others often perish in the attempt. But for some reason men are incapable of learning from this wisdom and remain more prone to revenging injuries than to returning kindness."

AN-The Wind Dancer knows her classics as well as some deadly jutsu. She quotes both an old Irish proverb as well as Thomas Moore. HW2


	6. Shanshouo, Part I An Ill Wind

Just to reiterate; Wind Dancer, Eisuke, Keiko, and the Four Winds are mine, but the rest belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not changing the rating for now, but like Baki keeps saying this is not so pleasant. Bad language of course, nothing overtly sexual, but it gets violent. These are shinobi after all. HW2

Six-Shanshouo, Part I An Ill Wind

It is a common misconception that the Land of Wind is a desolate place. While it is true that the desert is large, the land is more diverse and richer than most suspect. There is a sea coast that provides opportunities for trade and a thriving fishery. There are productive fields, forests, and a mountain range. The forests may not be as lush as those in other lands, but they do provide wood of many different varieties.

Temporary residences high in the forested hills accommodate lumberjacks. The thirty or so men camped outside one of these dwellings had chosen the place because it was well hidden and could be defended if they were attacked. They were going to stay for several days and plan their next moves. While they waited, they tended to their wounded and prepared to bury their dead. The final death toll was still not fixed; five men were still struggling for their lives.

Three convoys had left the Sand village five days ago. One of the three was escorting two prisoners to the jail in the Leaf village. The men had planned to attack one of the three. If they did not choose the one with the prisoners they had planned to take a shinobi hostage to find out which of the other two convoys was the right one. They had chosen the wrong convoy and taking a hostage had proven costly. There had been more than forty of them when they had attacked the shinobi traveling from the Sand to the Leaf village, but less than thirty had made it to their hiding place.

When Araki returned to the camp, all the muttering died down. The men were unhappy with the way things were going, but they knew better than to confront him. Even minus an arm, he was deadly.

Araki passed through his men and into the camp building.

The wooden building was large enough to accommodate all the men, but only three men were using it. It had a large main room, meant to be used for both sleeping and eating. A small kitchen and bathroom were in the back.

Araki greeted his brother, "It's a little strange, him hanging in here and those things hanging out there."

Jo shrugged, "It's that or we lose more men and they're unhappy enough already. This is not going as they expected. You should've told them the real plan, from the start."

"Humph. They will do what they are told. That's all they need to know. Is this worry I hear from you? Things are going well."

"Oh? We have lost at least ten men and the other two convoys are almost at the Leaf village. The men think that we should have taken the girl. It would have been easier and she might have provided some…entertainment."

"Do they?" Araki laughed. "Then they are fools. If we had done that, we would be burying twenty men."

He wandered over to the only piece of furniture in the room, a large table, and picked something up. It was a forehead protector, sewn into black cloth. Araki wrapped his fist around it and squeezed tight. He had worn that symbol once, but now he hated it with every fiber of his being.

"And what do you think?"

Jo shrugged again, "I want my brothers freed and I would like revenge. But maybe we should've left the revenge for later. It has waited all these years; it could wait a little longer."

"No! We do it this way!" Araki threw the forehead protector back on the table. He pointed at their captive, "What's with all this? I told you: take him intact. Did you do that?"

"His fingers are dislocated, they'll heal. It was the only way to stop him. He's in here and they're out there because it's the only way to keep him from using them. It would've been easier if we could've just destroyed those damn puppets."

Their captive stirred and began to curse at them, most of which was muffled by the dark cloth stuffed in his mouth.

"And what happened to his back and his other hand?"

"A couple of the men decided to try and find out which convoy had the prisoners."

"What!? Who was it? I'll…"

Jo shook his head, "Never mind. They've already been punished. The idiots cut one of his hands loose. Now they're among the sick and the dead. I still don't get this. Why him in particular?"

"You haven't looked closely have you?"

"I'm about as close as I want to get."

Araki picked the forehead protector up again and tore the rest of the cloth away from it, "Here, wipe that crap off his face."

When Jo hesitated, Araki rolled his eyes and thrust the cloth at him. He stepped up to their captive and pulled the black hood on his shirt down. He grabbed a handful of brown hair and pulled his head back.

"Go on."

Jo joined his brother and began to scrub away the smudged purple lines on the shinobi's face. He began to kick and protest, but Araki tightened his grip and pulled his head back farther.

"So. Do you see now?"

Jo threw the cloth back on the table. He did see, or at least he was beginning to. He also began to think that his brother might be a little mad. His desire for revenge had become an obsession.

"What could be better? We will use him to draw that bastard Baki to us, he will be the perfect gift for our brother to celebrate his freedom, and when he is done, we will put all his chakra to good use. If we can't kill the man who killed our father, we can kill the man's son. To be able to rid the world of this face…" He released their captive's hair. "The youngest one is deadly and so is the girl, she was trained by the Wind Dancer after all. No, Kankuro of the Sand will suit our needs just fine."

Jo still did not look convinced, "How can you be sure that Baki will come? You know the policy; no negotiations, no rescue missions. We should just forget about that, it is a waste of time."

"Oh, he'll come. There's no way he will allow anything to happen to one of his precious students."

He pulled at the table, flipping it onto one side so the table top was vertical and facing Kankuro. The shinobi glared at Araki, twisting against the ropes around his wrists and ankles. He was hanging by his arms from a rope that had been tossed over the wooden beams that supported the roof. His puppets were hanging from a tree outside. He could sense them, but they were too far away to control them.

"I'll be back in a moment," Araki said.

When he returned he was carrying two puppet limbs, draped over his arm.

"You've put quite the scare into my men, boy. They're afraid to go near your toys. Jo, bring those tools over here."

Jo nodded and went to retrieve a bag that was sitting near the door. Metal clinked and rattled as he carried it to his brother.

"Good. Now…"

Araki flipped one of the puppet limbs into his hand and with a quick movement thrust the spiked end into the wood table top. The jointed arm and hand pointed towards the ground. He repeated this with the other arm. He turned and faced Kankuro, so he had his back to the table.

"They say that the most skilled puppeteers feel it when their puppets are damaged. They also say that a man who has lost an arm or leg sometimes still feels a pain in the missing limb. I know that the second thing is true, but I wonder about the first."

He watched Kankuro's eyes flick over his shoulder to the limbs. Araki smirked; the boy's thoughts were obvious. He was a good little shinobi, always planning, still thinking of escape. What he did not know was that Araki had some plans of his own.

Araki loosened the empty sleeve at his left shoulder and continued in a mild tone, "It was the strangest thing, feeling pain in flesh that was no longer there. After a while, the sensation of flesh faded, but I still imagined that the chakra flowed. People told me that it would pass too, it was just in my head, but it never did. Soon I realized that they were wrong and I began to focus on those feelings. And soon…"

Araki's eyes narrowed as he concentrated. After a few moments, the empty sleeve stirred. Pale lines of chakra appeared, growing longer and wider until they had taken on the form of an arm. Chakra bones were covered with muscle and ligament. Pulsing lines that looked like blood vessels ran the length of the arm and everything was covered with a translucent chakra skin.

Araki flexed the chakra arm, "Of course I cannot keep this up for extended periods of time, but…"

Araki whirled around. Just as he had expected, one of the limbs behind him had twitched to life, pulling out of the table and flying towards his back, spiked end first. He reached out with lighting speed and plucked the arm out of the air. It writhed and twitched in his grasp, the hand snapped back, revealing an empty compartment within the wrist.

"Did you really think I would leave you all your knives and needles? Foolish boy."

Araki thrust his chakra arm at Kankuro's midsection. Kankuro began to twist and kick, it was like he had been hit with an electric shock. His control over the arm was disrupted. Araki tossed the puppet's arm aside and continued to shock the chunin. Kankuro gasped, trying not to choke on the cloth stuffed in his mouth. Araki watched him, looking pleased. Just as it looked like he might pass out, Araki released him and pulled the cloth out of his mouth. He picked up the puppet's arm and stabbed it into the table again.

"Can't have you choking. I need you to stay alive for a little longer yet."

He felt some reluctant admiration for the boy; he was already trying to flex his numbed and injured hands to launch another attack. The shocked look faded from his face and was replaced by a glare.

"Freak! Let me the hell down and I'll show you real pain!"

He added a string of curses that made Araki raise his eyebrows.

"That mouth is a little much," he gestured at the bag of tools. "Get a hammer and some nails out, Jo."

The arm that Araki had created dissolved into tendrils. One tendril ran up Kankuro's back, stinging over the welts that had been left by the failed attempt to question him. He tried to concentrate, but the pain in his body made it hard.

"Giving up already? I expected more from you. I guess some things don't run in the family."

Araki laughed as the boy's eyes widened. He bared his teeth at Araki and tried harder to flex his hands.

"That's more like it. Let's see some of that famed Sand ferocity, boy."

The puppet's arm began to move again. Araki renewed his own concentration and a large fist of chakra formed. It wrapped around Kankuro, squeezing until he screamed.

-0000-

Sakura frowned over her patient. By her estimation, he should not be so sick. His arm was broken and he had some bumps and scrapes, but nothing looked infected and the cuts were already beginning to heal. However, he had a fever and his blood work showed signs of infection. She stepped back with a sigh. She thought about asking her sensei for help.

"No," she muttered, "you have to learn how to figure it out yourself."

There was a scratching noise behind her followed by some throat clearing. She looked around.

"Hey, Sakura, how's it going?" Kiba greeted her, keeping his loud voice down in deference to the setting.

"Hello Kiba," Sakura was staggered back a few steps when a muscular bundle of white fur collided with her legs, "and hello to you too, Akamaru. He's getting so big Kiba."

"Yeah, I guess," Kiba rubbed one hand through his messy hair.

"Are you looking for me? Is something wrong? I'm a little busy here."

"I heard about what happened. So I came by, because, well…uh," he stopped and shrugged, "I guess wanted to see if there was anything I could do…you know. To help out."

"You guys are so predictable. Chouji was here this morning with food. I haven't seen Neji yet, but Shikamaru has been hanging around all day," Sakura giggled. "He keeps complaining about how mean Temari is, but he's still here."

"Are they still waiting?"

Sakura nodded.

Kiba frowned, "I don't understand. Their brother's missing; they should just go and look for him."

"That's not how the Sand operates, Kiba. They don't go after their people in this type of situation. If he's been captured then it might be too dangerous. It might be a trap."

"That's messed up. How can they just leave him out there?"

"I don't like it either, but it's their way. They don't like some of the things we do," She saw the look on his face. "I wouldn't bug any of them about it, Kiba. Temari's pretty upset and Gaara looks…disturbed. So just stay clear of him."

Sakura paused to push Akamaru away; he had been rubbing against her the entire time.

"Can you call him off? He's getting fur all over me."

"He just likes the way you smell," Kiba grinned. "We both do, actually."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Oh, just stop it." Then something occurred to her. "Maybe you can do something useful for a change."

"Hey! That's no way to ask me for a favour."

"Actually it's not you, it's Akamaru." She pointed to the sick man on the bed. "Do you think his sense of smell could help pinpoint the source of his infection? It's all through his body and if I could find where it started I might be able to get rid of it."

"We can sure try. C'mon boy." Kiba guided Akamaru to the sick shinobi's bed. "Don't jump all over him, Akamaru. You heard Sakura, find where it started. Go on boy, find it."

The nin-dog snuffled up and down the Sand shinobi's body, sticking his nose in the man's armpits, neck, stomach, and between his legs. After a minute, he barked and placed a paw on the man's right leg.

"He says he found it, on the inside of his leg. Good job, Akamaru."

Sakura felt the man's leg and then pushed the leg of his boxers up so she could examine the inside of his thigh. There was a small closed wound there, not much larger than a needle prick, but she could feel the heat of the infection all around the area.

"I think there's something here!" Sakura chewed her lip, thinking. After a few moments she nodded. She patted Akamaru, "Good work boy, now move back. Both of you move out of the way."

Her voice had taken on a bossy authoritative tone, but Kiba grinned. Sakura was starting to sound and act just like her sensei.

Sakura looked through the tray of medical supplies. She found a scalpel and a sturdy pair of forceps and sterilized them.

"I might get him to check to see if I got it all. So don't stray too far."

"We'll just stand over here."

Sakura bent to her work. She made a small incision in the man's leg at the site of the closed wound. He twitched but did not wake up. Pus and blood started to ooze from the wound. She wiped them away and made the cut a little longer, until she could see the end of a needle. She eased it out with the forceps, trying not to break it. It was about the length of her little finger, wickedly sharp on one end and not much thicker than a hair.

"Got it!" She dropped it on the tray and then dressed the cut she had made.

Kiba edged closer to peer over her shoulder, "How did that get missed?"

"He was probably in so much pain from his arm when they patched him up in the field that it wasn't noticed. The entrance wound was already closed over by the time he got here. I'll bet it was coated with something to start a major infection in his body." She pointed at the needle. "Do you recognize it? It's what Rain shinobi fire out of those umbrellas."

"The Rain?"

"There were rogue shinobi in the group," a voice said behind them.

Temari pushed her way past Kiba to stand over the wounded man, "Is he awake yet?"

"No, but he's going to be okay now."

Temari acknowledged that with a grunt, "How soon? He was the last to leave, so he might know what happened to Kankuro."

"I don't know. I'll make sure someone comes to get you as soon he is able to talk."

"Idiot," Temari muttered.

Sakura frowned at her.

"Not him. My stupid brother! If he's hurt, I'm going to kill him. Idiot! I don't care how fast those stupid puppets are, he shouldn't have sent everyone else ahead while he tried to hold off the attackers himself!"

"That sounds very brave…" Sakura started.

"It sounds very stupid! And it's just like him. He never thinks, he just _does_."

Temari sighed and for a moment Sakura could see just how very worried she was. Then her face hardened again, "Shikamaru quit skulking around out there. I need to send a message off. Let's go."

She stalked out of the room. Shikamaru showed his face in the door, looking, as usual, very put out with it all.

"Thanks Sakura. She was going on and on about that guy not waking up."

"It was nothing, Akamaru helped."

Shikamaru grunted and nodded at Kiba, "Yo."

"Shikamaru! Now!" Temari's voice echoed down the hall.

"See you guys later," Shikamaru followed her, leaving behind a sigh and, "such a troublesome woman."

Kiba grimaced, "Man, I don't know how he puts up with that. So what do you think happened to Kankuro?"

"I don't know Kiba. But it can't be anything good. The rest of the team was pretty beat up by the guys that ambushed them. Kankuro held them off so everyone could escape. But they weren't followed and no one knows what happened to him."

"Why didn't they go back and get him?"

"By the time they realized that he wasn't going to catch up with them, they were almost here. And their wounded were in no shape to turn around and go back and they didn't want to leave them too."

"Were they one of the decoy groups?"

Sakura gave Kiba a sharp look, "How did you know about that?"

"A little bug told me. Or rather it told Shino and he told me."

"Don't let Temari know that, she'll go nuts. She doesn't think much of our security as it is."

"Don't worry. So were they one of the decoys?"

"Yes, they were. Gaara's group actually had the two prisoners. They were delivered yesterday."

"Will the Hokage help them find Kankuro?"

"Yes. If they ask."

"I hope they do."

"Well if they are going to do something, it had better be soon. Poor guy. What if he was taken captive? I can't imagine what that must be like?"

Kiba's face went serious, "I sort of can, Sakura," then he grinned, "but I wouldn't worry too much. From what I've seen he's pretty tough. He's probably off somewhere, playing with those creepy puppets and enjoying a break from his crazy brother and sister."

"I hope so Kiba. I really do."

-0000-

Baki was standing at a window in his office. He had a pile of paper work to do, but he couldn't concentrate on it. He knew that it was pointless, but he regretted not going to escort the youngest of the four brothers to jail.

Before they had gone rogue and left the Sand village, the brothers and their father had been strong shinobi. The brothers had been called the Four Winds after their fighting styles and temperaments. The four brothers had become leaders of a group of rogue shinobi and bandits. They had terrorized travelers and trade convoys until the Fourth Kazekage had sent a group of men, led by Baki, after them. Most of the bandits had been killed or captured. Baki had personally captured the oldest brother and had wounded Araki, but the cost had been high. It had been Baki's last mission (the invasion of the Leaf village had technically belonged to his students and others).

The three brothers had remained at large until two months ago, when the youngest had been captured along with another bandit leader. The council had decided to send them to the high security prison in the Leaf village. The oldest brother was already there; it was one of the few places that had successfully held powerful rogue shinobi for long periods of time.

There had been concern that the remaining brothers would stage a rescue attempt, so they had sent out three escort groups. Two of the groups had men impersonating the prisoners, while the third was actually escorting the captured bandits. Each group had left at a different time, had taken a different route, and had been headed by one of the Sand Siblings. It was the first time that Baki's students had not worked as a team. They had done missions in pairs, but never alone.

Baki sensed movement behind him. It was Eisuke.

The merchant grinned, "No sneaking up on you is there?" His grin faded. "So has there been any word from Kankuro?"

"How did you know?"

Eisuke shrugged, "Oh, you know how it is."

Baki shook his head, "I think this village missed out when you decided not to become a shinobi. I have never seen any one gather information the way you do."

"What an excellent compliment. So? Any word?"

"Nothing positive. There has been no sign of him at the Leaf village yet. All the others who survived the attack are there now."

"That doesn't sound good. You're sure? Kankuro's an independent spirit. No chance he's wandered off for a look at the local sights? It's an interesting region; it produces silk and several varieties of rare wood. Kankuro's sure to be curious about it."

"True, but he is also responsible. He would not go off without finishing the mission first."

"You're right, just wishful thinking on my part, I guess. Especially when you consider the alternative."

Baki nodded, looking grim.

"I don't suppose there's any chance you will consider going after him?" Eisuke asked.

"That is against procedure. Temari did send a party out, however."

Baki gestured to where Temari's most recent message lay open on the desk. It had been brief, but Baki could sense the worry that lay behind it.

Baki continued, "She gave them orders to look for the men who set the ambush. She said that it was an opportunity to hunt down the other brothers that should not be ignored."

"Clever Temari. That's a good idea, and if they just happen to find out what happened to Kankuro…"

Baki nodded, "Yes."

Both men paused and looked at the door. Hurried footsteps were coming down the hall. Moments later an out-of-breath shinobi appeared at the door, carrying a bundle in his arms.

"Baki-san! Reporting in," he hesitated when he saw Eisuke. "I…er…"

"Hajime, compose yourself."

"Sorry Baki-san, but…well." Hajime put the bundle on the desk. "You should see this."

Baki frowned at it, "Hajime…" his voice took on a warning tone.

"We checked it for explosives," Hajime said quickly.

The young genin was becoming more and more agitated, Eisuke saw, and not because Baki was glaring at him. Whatever was in the bundle, it was not good. Eisuke started to get a sick feeling in his stomach. He leaned forward and flipped the cloth wrappings back.

"Oh!"

There were two puppet limbs in the bundle, wrapped in a tattered black piece of cloth with a familiar yellow and red circle on it. Eisuke lifted the cloth up and the two wooden arms sprawled across the desk.

Eisuke gasped, "Baki…"

Someone had hammered nails all along the length of the arms and into the wooden hands. The spikes on the ends were chipped and broken.

"There's a letter too. It's addressed to you, Baki-san."

Baki snatched up the letter and opened it, his face was impassive, but Eisuke could see a minute tremor in the jounin's hands.

He looked up, "Get out."

"Baki-san…"

"Out! Now! Leave us!"

Hajime swallowed and hurried away, all but tripping over his feet. Baki turned and looked out the window again, the letter clutched in one hand.

Eisuke waited. He was dying to know what was in the letter, but he knew better than to rush Baki. After a few minutes, Baki turned around and sat down. The letter was balled up in his fist. He used his other hand to carefully straighten out the puppet arms across the length of his desk and then rubbed his face. He leaned back in his chair.

"This is my fault. I knew something like this might happen some day. I should not have let them go."

Eisuke murmured a polite denial.

Baki's eyebrow raised, "Oh?" He rolled the balled letter onto the desk and gestured for Eisuke to take it. "I failed to bring them in. And now…"

Eisuke spread out the crumpled ball, "_I have him_," he read, "_so what will you do about it? Can you do anything?_"

"Araki," Baki looked up at the ceiling. "The second oldest brother. The third is Jo, I imagine that he is there too."

"The oldest one is already in jail?"

Baki nodded, "The youngest one is now there too. The eldest might have been the best shinobi of the four, but Araki is the most ruthless." He touched the cloth covering one side of his face. "He did this."

Eisuke grimaced. He ran his fingers along one of the mangled puppet arms, "So do you think Kankuro's alive?"

"I do."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll let the council know what has happened."

"And then?"

Baki looked up at him, "We don't give in to these tactics."

Eisuke gaped at him, "Baki-san…"

Baki shook his head, "That is the way it has to be."

"But he's…"

"All the more reason not to break our rules."

Eisuke made a frustrated noise, "This is so wrong. How can you just…"

"Because I must. All shinobi know about this possibility and they accept it."

"Could this have been avoided? You were against splitting them up for this mission."

"It is pointless to second guess."

"This has to stop. They have been forced into dangerous situations for years now, because of Gaara."

"That is part of it, but you must know Eisuke that there is more to it. The Fourth Kazekage made many enemies in his quest to keep this village independent of the daimyo. As his children rise to positions of power, there is concern that they will continue in his footsteps."

"So? All of them only want what is best for the village. Even Gaara. Especially Gaara."

"You and I know that, but there are those who are afraid of losing the power they have gained since the Fourth Kazekage's death. Gaara has come a long way and people now see him as a dedicated and loyal shinobi, not a terror. Temari is coming into her own as a teacher and diplomat."

"And Kankuro?"

"I believe that someday he will become the strongest of the Sand siblings and he will bring honour back to his art. "

Eisuke nodded, "I can believe that, Baki. He was a great kid and he's growing into a fine man. So, how can you do nothing?!"

"If I show any sign of treating him differently, if I break the rules for him, then the daimyo's representatives will be sure to use that to destroy everything they have accomplished. I will not do that and I know Kankuro would not want me to. Please try to understand this Eisuke."

Eisuke sighed, "I'll try, but… So what can we do?"

"For now, we wait. We gather information. I would appreciate knowing anything that you can gather from your own sources."

"Of course, anything I can do," Eisuke shook his head. "This seems just wrong."

"I know, but it is our way."

-0000-

Temari stared at Kiba, "How did you hear about that?"

Kiba lifted one shoulder in a shrug, "Call it the Konoha grape vine; two merchants talk, another overhears. Man, don't you know? Even the forests have ears around here. The more important thing is; what are you going to do about it?"

"There has been no word of this from Baki," Gaara said.

"He probably thinks that we would go after him if we knew."

"Well, aren't you?" Kiba asked. He looked at Shikamaru.

The chunin shrugged, "It's against their policy in this sort of situation."

Shikamaru sighed and his face took on that faraway look that meant he was thinking really hard about something.

"What?! Aw, c'mon that's messed up. Someone's got your brother, you have to do something. Shit, they're sending bits of hacked up puppet to Baki. The first two arms had nails hammered into them, the second set were all burned and charred. Imagine what they're doing to…"

"Kiba!" Sakura said.

It was clear from the look on Temari's face that she was imagining what might be happening to her brother.

"Kiba, think, and then speak, would you. I'm sorry Temari."

Temari shook her head. She got to her feet and walked to a window. Tension showed in the set of her shoulders.

"We have orders," she said after a few moments, "besides we don't even know where to look. The men I sent out came back with no leads."

"Then you need to call in an expert tracker," Kiba tapped his chest.

"No," Gaara said.

Temari looked over her shoulder, "Gaara?"

"But you have to help him," Kiba protested. "He's your brother."

"No. We do not need a tracker. I can find him. He has a small pouch of the sand from my gourd with him. That is surer than any scent."

Temari turned around, her eyes were wide, "Gaara. Are you suggesting…?"

A crease appeared between Gaara's eyebrows, "I am not sure. I should follow the rules of our village, but Kankuro is my brother and I am supposed to protect those close to me…" he sighed. "This is difficult. It is hard to know what the right thing is."

He looked at Sakura. "What would Naruto do?"

"Er, Gaara, I don't know if that's…" Sakura hesitated. She knew exactly what Naruto would do, but it might not be smart to tell Gaara.

"Hah! You do know. He'd charge out after him. He'd search in the absolute wrong direction and come up with the lamest plan imaginable, but he would go," Kiba grinned.

"I shall be able to find him without mishap."

A wave of relief washed over Temari, taking away the lump in her stomach and clearing her head, "Right then. Well, don't think that you're going off alone. If we are going to do this then we need a larger group."

"Alright! When do we go?" Kiba asked.

"Not you, idiot."

"But…"

"No. We have to be careful how we do this. If we involve shinobi from another village, the daimyo might take it as a sign of weakness or even rebellion. We can't go to all the trouble of rescuing him only to find ourselves regarded as traitors or outcasts when we return. If we can just convince enough of our people to go..." Temari sighed, "I wish they had sent one or two jounin along."

"What?!" Kiba exclaimed. "No, jounin! But it was a high level mission. Man, that's crazy."

"The council argued that all the jounin were needed in the village to make sure it was not attacked. A lot of people were involved in this mission, so our enemies might have decided that it was a good time to attack the village."

Temari fell silent. That was the reason the council had given, but Kankuro had believed that the real reason was that without jounin, they would be weaker and more likely to fail. As always, he thought that certain members of the council were trying to get Gaara destroyed and help the daimyo take over the village.

"Idiot," she muttered, "you big idiot, just be okay."

She glanced at Shikamaru. This was the perfect opportunity for him to make some comment to pay her back for what she had said to him after the disastrous attempt to bring Sasuke back. But the Leaf shinobi said nothing and, as usual, he looked bored and bothered.

When he saw her staring at him, he sighed.

"It's going to be difficult to arrange, but it would be best if they thought you just happened to run across Kankuro on your way home. They can't suspend or demote you all. Send everyone who is unwilling to help plus a few that are back first and then go after him. Tell them that you divided into two groups for a training exercise of some sort," he sighed again. "The whole thing makes no sense."

Temari frowned, "What?"

"Their tactics. I mean if they really wanted to get Baki worked up then they should have sent bits of Kankuro, not his puppets. It's almost like…"

"Shikamaru!" Sakura burst out. "Not you too."

"Uh, er, sorry, but…" Shikamaru rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "I don't know. It's like I'm missing something. So annoying."

He stared at the floor, looking glum.

"So what can we do to help?" Sakura asked. "I'll give you some medical supplies."

Gaara nodded, "Matsuri will take them."

Temari frowned, "Are you sure she should go? It might be best to send her back with the other group. This could get ugly."

"If she wants to go, we will take her."

"We could use some extra munitions and smoke bombs."

"Bombs? But if you throw bombs, won't that hurt Kankuro too?"

Shikamaru looked up, "That's not what she wants them for Kiba. They will need some sort of a diversion."

Temari nodded, she had been thinking exactly that.

"I can get you some things that might be useful, but it might already be too late. It's not smart of them to spend too much time in one place with a captive. Especially someone like Kankuro. He's probably annoying the hell out of them. If they were smart they'd just…"

"Shikamaru!" Sakura exclaimed.

"It is a possibility, Kankuro seems to get people mad at him with great ease," Gaara said, "but we must try."

-0000-

"Hurry up," Jo said. "Either pick it up and drink…or just lap it up like the dog you are."

He smirked at the look he received from Kankuro, "Glaring at me won't help." He took a step forward. "You could just go without…"

Kankuro was kneeling on the floor in front of a small bowl. He was let down from time to time and given a little water and sometimes a little rice, but he was never untied and he was never down long enough for all the feeling to return to his arms and hands. Kankuro reached out and carefully picked up the small wooden bowl. He took a small sip; water had never tasted so good.

Five or six days had passed and three sets of puppet arms had been sent off to Baki, each set more damaged than the last. He put the bowl in his lap, his arms were starting to tremble as blood began to circulate through them and he did not want to drop the water. After a moment he picked the bowl up again and took another sip, watching Jo above the rim and trying to come up with a plan. He needed to do something to make sure that Araki did not succeed in his own plan. The brothers had never discussed the details in front of Kankuro, but they had said enough to let him know that the capture of the youngest brother had been part of a plot to get the oldest brother out of jail along with any other prisoners they could recruit.

He set the bowl to his lap again and kept his hands curled around it, trying to flex his fingers without Jo noticing. The large wooden table caught the corner of his eye; it was huge, made to seat fifteen or twenty men. It would take a lot of chakra because it was not one of his puppets, but it would make a fine weapon. There was no way he would be able to get control of either Jo or Araki themselves, they were alert to his technique and were strong enough to resist it. If he could just get his hands and his chakra to work properly…

"C'mon, time's up."

Kankuro ignored him and drank again. Smooth, solid wood slid under his fingers as he tilted the bowl up so he could get every last drop.

Kankuro's eyes went wide. You are such an idiot, he thought, this moron put a weapon in your hands and you never noticed. You've got to pay better attention.

He planned how it would go. He would use the bowl to knock Jo out. Once he got his hands free, he would use the table to fight his way out of the building and to his puppets. Then he would make Araki and the others pay. He shifted, trying to get ready; he was going to have to strike hard and fast.

Jo saw the look in Kankuro's eyes when he lowered the bowl and realized that something was wrong. The wooden bowl flew out of the boy's hands so fast that he almost did not have time to get an arm up. The bowl cracked into his elbow and he was almost knocked off his feet. He hissed. Hs arm had gone numb from the elbow down.

"Doll loving son of a bitch!"

Kankuro bared his teeth at Jo. He flexed his fingers, the three that were splinted together hurt like hell, but they moved. The bowl rose into the air again and flew at Jo. He dove out of the way and then made a grab for the other end of the rope that was tied around Kankuro's wrists. It had been thrown over one of the wooden beams and was tied around a bracket meant for a lantern. Jo had loosened it to let Kankuro down, and if he could get hold of it he could hoist Kankuro back up into the air and stop his attack.

"Oh, hell no!"

Kankuro tried to twist around, but fell over; his legs were too numb. He pushed himself back up and resumed his attack. The bowl slammed into Jo's ribs just as his fingers curled around the rope. He cursed and pulled with all his might. Kankuro's arms were jerked so hard that he thought they might pop out of their sockets. He was pulled upright again and into the air. He started to kick and twist. If he could pull the rope out of Jo's hands before he got it secured, he would have another chance.

The bowl whizzed around Jo's head. He held on to the rope with one hand and tried to tie it off. The feeling had not returned to his other arm, but when it did he was going to destroy the bowl with a wind blast and then teach the boy a thing or two.

Kankuro had managed to get his feet back on the floor and jerked hard against the rope, using all his weight. A couple more tugs and he would pull the rope out of Jo's hand.

Strands of chakra hit him in the back and then wrapped around his body.

"No!"

Kankuro tried to turn his weapon on Araki, but his control over the bowl had been disrupted. Jo was able to pull the rope up again. He tied it off and joined his brother, rubbing his arm and glaring at Kankuro.

Chakra tightened around his chest, stomach, and crawled around his neck. Kankuro sneered at Araki. The idiot seemed to think that he could scare Kankuro, but he had spent years living with Gaara. Nothing was worse than waking up in the grip of a Sand Coffin.

When Kankuro's ribs started to creak, Araki stepped back, releasing him.

"Well, that looked like fun."

Jo made an exasperated noise, "How much longer do you expect to do this? Baki is not going to come."

Araki shrugged, "As long as it takes. Our brother's in place in the prison. He's probably already started his task. So we just need to figure out how to do ours."

Araki looked at Kankuro, "Only two sets of arms left, boy. Then we'll have to send something else."

"There's no way we can keep him here that long. We should just focus on the escape plan. Send Baki his head and be done with it."

"No, his head and the rest of him belong to our anii-san. Baki is ours. But I can see that it will take a little more to convince him to come and visit us." Araki looked thoughtful. "We'll just have to be a little more creative. Watch him. I'll be back."

Jo frowned at his brother's back and then turned to see the Sand shinobi sneering at him.

"Almost had you, asshole."

Jo started to punch Kankuro, wanting to wipe the sneer from his face. It had been less than a week, but he was fed up with the Sand shinobi's constant insults and taunts.

"Hey, hey, that's enough. If you knock him out, we can't do this," Araki said when he returned.

He went through his usual routine, flipping the table into place and stabbing the puppet arms into its surface.

"Like I said, it's going to take a little more to convince Baki to come. I guess you're not as important to him as I had thought, boy. I'm a little surprised; I always got the impression that he worshiped the Kazekage and his brats. So we'll just have to send him something more compelling. You've put loads of chakra into these toys of yours, so now we are going to add a little blood as well."

He stepped back and gestured at the arms, "Let's go. I'll give you your chance. Let's see how far you get this time."

Kankuro wheezed a curse at him. Jo had punched him in the stomach and ribs and he could not get his breath back. He had been so close to getting free, but now he had little strength left to control the arms hanging from the table top. He had to try though; he suspected that after these two arms left he would be in no shape to try anything else. He focused on the arms; he could tell that they belonged to Kuroari.

A tendril of chakra wrapped around his waist.

"Better hurry boy."

Kankuro grit his teeth and concentrated harder, ignoring Araki's mocking voice and the band wrapping around him, stinging his skin. Tendrils crawled up and around his chest and between his legs, squeezing until he yelled. The jolts Araki gave him made it hard to control his chakra and Kankuro suspected that they were doing internal damage as well. There was always a strange pressure in his chest and stomach, even after Araki left him alone to recover.

His eyes snapped open. Somewhere in the distance, something had exploded. The blast rocked the ground and knocked dust from the rafters.

"What the hell?" Araki gestured to Jo. "Go and see what that was."

"That's obvious, we're being attacked."

"Go and see!"

Jo hurried out.

"Well it looks like we'll have to make this quick," Araki grabbed his hair. "If you thought this was bad, just wait until my brother gets his hands on you."

Kankuro closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to go someplace quiet in his mind so he could refocus. He thought about his workshop, with all its familiar smells, and the quiet library which always smelled like wood polish, glue, and old dust. It was difficult, Araki kept pulling his head back which made it hard to breathe and every time he almost got focus, a painful jolt would distract him.

"Araki-san!"

One of the men ran into the building. Araki let go of Kankuro and waited for the man to catch his breath.

"What?"

"You have to come. Jo-san can't hold them off and the men are panicking."

Araki frowned, "What? Already? You've been in fights before, just…"

"Not like this. The ground, the air, and…it. It's that _thing_…"

Araki's eyes widened, "I see. So, it's not Baki."

He turned back to Kankuro. "How touching, anē and otōto have come for you. The little demon bastard himself. That is unexpected, I thought he didn't care about anything or anyone," he paused, thinking. "Most unexpected," he murmured after a few moments. "Well, this requires a change of plan."

He brushed past the man and hurried out of the building. The man stared after him a moment and then followed.

Kankuro could not believe it. Araki had left him alone with Kuroari's arms. He had a chance to get loose. He focused on the arms, trying to produce chakra strings.

"C'mon idiot," he muttered, "you've been doing this for years. Just one arm to start."

It seemed to take forever but finally an arm began to move, jerking back and forth as it worked out of the table top. By the time he had it free, Kankuro could feel sweat running down his face and there was a sharp pain in his chest.

He brought the limb over to him and used it to saw away at the rope. He twisted to try and speed the process up; Jo or Araki might return at any time. Finally, the rope parted with a snap and Kankuro crashed to the ground. He directed the arm at his legs, trying to use his hands as well, to cut through the rope around his ankles.

Once he was free, he set the arm aside, crawled to the table, and used it to pull himself to his feet. Kankuro groaned, he hurt all over and he could not get his wind back, but he was loose and had weapons. He worked the other arm free from the table.

"Thinking of going somewhere?"

Kankuro turned to face Jo. He put one hand on the table and wrapped his fist around Kuroari's arm. He glanced at the other arm, noting its location and picturing how he would use it. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get blood flowing.

"I know what you're thinking, but the only place you are going is to hell. I don't care what Araki says we should do."

Kankuro snorted, "That's pretty damn unoriginal. How about this: I'll show you hell right here."

The table launched high into the air and hurtled towards Jo. He laughed and made a slicing gesture. The table split in two and the halves flew by him. He had been looking up to track the table, so he almost did not see the puppet arm that had snaked along the ground in the wake of the table. The spike on the end was aimed at his belly. He twisted out of the way and then had to dive to the ground because one half of the table had flown back at him.

Jo grinned, there was only one was this could end; the boy was too weak from all of Araki's abuse. He would do it just like Araki had done Baki all those years ago. This time, however, there would be no survivors.

He rose to his feet and set up his next attack. Kankuro had studied the intelligence reports on the four brothers so he knew what to expect. Jo was a wind user who specialized in slicing attacks. So, he was not surprised to see a group of wind shuriken whistle towards him.

Kankuro needed to get out of the building and to his puppets. Then he would do some serious damage. He retrieved one half of the table and used it as a shield while he ran towards the door.

"Too slow boy!"

One of the wind shuriken slipped by the table and sliced across Kankuro's thigh. Kankuro stumbled, but managed to stay on his feet. The cut was deep, but had missed ligaments and major blood vessels. He could stand, but he would not be able to run. He was going to have to face Jo with the weapons he had in the room.

The puppet's arm began to whirl around Jo's head, dodging and then darting in to stab at him. Kankuro left the other arm where it was, it would be his final attack and he wanted Jo to forget about it until he was ready. The two table halves rose into the air and flew at Jo, one from each side. Jo dropped to the ground and the pieces smashed together, splintering.

"You missed. Again."

Kankuro sneered; the idiot did not realize that his opponent now had more weapons. He could not control all the pieces of the smashed table, he did not have the strength, but all he needed was four or five pieces with pointed edges. He would surround Jo and finish him off with something that resembled one of his Iron Maiden attacks.

Jo scrambled free of the wreckage of the table. A couple of legs and three long boards that had pointed ends rose into the air and surrounded him.

Jo realized what was happening. There was no way the boy was going to turn him into a pin cushion. He was surrounded, but he had a way to clear away these weapons. He folded his hands and made a quick series of signs.

A tight vortex of wind appeared around Jo and pushed the circling objects away from him. Jo made another gesture and the expanding circle exploded outwards in all directions, slicing everything it touched. The table pieces were smashed and Kuroari's arm went flying. A shock wave slammed into Kankuro, knocking him against a wall. His injured leg buckled and he dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.

Jo advanced on him, stepping through a cloud of dust and sand that had been thrown into the air by his attack. Jo raised one arm and so did Kankuro. The puppet arm flew in front of him to act as a shield. Jo slashed his arm across his body and sliced through the arm, sending severed fingers flying and slicing the forearm open length wise. Kankuro was knocked off his knees, the attack had been meant to cut his chest wide open, but Kuroari's arm had deflected the blow so it slashed across his ribs instead.

Jo continued to advance. Kankuro struggled back to his knees, one arm wrapped around his bleeding ribs, his other hand flat on the ground.

"This is just how it went with your precious sensei. We took him one piece at a time. Only difference here is I'm going to take a little more than an eye next." He raised his arm. "Hurry up; you only have a few more moments to show me hell."

He started the downward slash of his arm and then stopped, eyes going wide. He looked down to see the tip of a spike protruding from his belly.

Kankuro collapsed to the ground, utterly spent. He had put everything he had into the force of the blow. He had run chakra strings through the ground to the second arm. It had hit Jo low in the back under the ribs on one side. It was not quite where Kankuro had aimed, but he thought that he had still managed to hit at least one major organ.

"Careful what you wish for, asshole."

Jo roared and made a sweeping gesture, fingers spread wide. Kankuro was hurled into the air and against the wall again. He fell to the ground and did not move. Jo brought his hand up and then slashed down. The scything attack hurled towards Kankuro. Jo's yell of triumph was cut short; a wall of sand shot into the air to adsorb the blow. He tried to turn, but sand rose up around his legs to his hips and then to his shoulders.

Gaara had arrived in time to see his brother's boneless slide down the wall. He could smell blood in the air, most of it was Kankuro's, but some belonged to this other man. Gaara pulled the arm out of Jo's body. The smell of his blood got stronger. Gaara shivered, the smell awakened things in him, tempted him to do things.

Jo struggled in the grip of the sand.

"Your brother has run away. I am here for my brother. You have spilled the blood of someone I cherish."

Before he was aware that he was doing it, Gaara raised and fist, turned it, and squeezed.

"So I will spill yours and bury you."

Temari ran into the room just in time to see Gaara complete the jutsu. The look on his face was horrible; she had not seen it for some time. Matsuri had been following close on her heels and now the genin was watching, wide eyed and trembling. She had never seen Gaara like this before.

Temari grimaced; things had been going so well. There was going to trouble because of this; Gaara had killed a wanted man in the heat of the moment. The act was too similar to his past behaviour. Then Temari saw Kankuro's limp body on the other side of the room and she wanted to bring Jo back, so she could kill him again.

She shook her head and pushed her violent thoughts aside. The damage was done; all she could do now was make sure that he did not hurt someone else.

"Gaara?"

Gaara tilted his head back, his fist was still clenched.

"Let it go, Gaara. He's done. Please, calm yourself."

Gaara groaned; it was a long, drawn out sound. He had not been in such a vicious and bloody fight for some time. The demon had reveled in the carnage and so did some part of Gaara himself. It would be so easy to let go, he could go back outside and paint the ground red if he wanted.

"Gaara-san, please," Matsuri's voice was small. "Let us get by and go to Kankuro-san."

Gaara took a deep breath and looked at the two kunoichi. He was still upset, but Temari could see that the madness was ebbing out of her brother's eyes. Temari let her own breath whoosh out; she had not even realized that she had been holding it.

Gaara pressed one hand to his face, he gestured with the other one.

"See to him."

Temari grabbed Matsuri's arm and half-dragged the frightened genin to her brother.

"Kankuro!"

Temari hurled debris aside, making space around Kankuro so they could kneel beside him.

"Kankuro! Wake up idiot!"

Temari grabbed his arm and began to shake him.

Matsuri set the package of medical supplies from Sakura down beside her. She clenched her hands together in her lap and shivered. Matsuri had never seen Kankuro so still and so quiet. The puppeteer was always in motion, even when he was sitting there would be the impatient tapping of a foot or fingers drumming on a table.

"Well, don't just sit there. Do something!" Temari snapped.

Matsuri started to tremble harder and her clenched hands rose up to her chest. She tried to think of what to do, but it was difficult with Temari glaring at her, a dead body behind her, and all this blood in front of her. She took a deep breath and tried to remember what Sakura had told her.

The young medic's kind voice echoed in her mind, "It can be scary on a battlefield when everything is so loud and confusing, but a medical-ninja has to remain calm and think straight," Sakura had leaned closer to Matsuri. "I'll tell you a trick to help you remember what to do. Three simple things that are easy to remember, A for airway, B for breathing, C for circulation. Take care of those three things and you will do fine."

"ABC," Matsuri murmured, "thank-you Sakura-chan."

She unfolded her hands and touched Temari's arm, "Please Temari-san, don't shake him like that."

She checked his nose and mouth and saw that he was breathing normally; his pulse was strong if faint. Matsuri opened the medical supplies and removed a pad of gauze.

"Please hold this on his leg while I wrap up his chest, Temari-san."

When she was done, she leaned back and tried to think about what to do next. They should get a stretcher to carry him, once everything was safe. She realized that Gaara was standing behind her. She looked up at him.

"Thank-you."

-0000-

Asuma leaned back and stretched, he shifted his cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other. He cleared his throat, but no luck, Shikamaru continued to stare at the chess board. He looked across the porch to where Choji was sitting with a bag of chips on his lap, Sakura and Ino were beside him with their heads bent over a medical manual, and Kiba was in the yard, sleeping on the soft grass, head resting on Akamaru's side. This small group had gathered at the mission house every day since Temari and Gaara had left, waiting for updates on the rescue attempt.

Times have changed, Asuma thought, who would have ever thought that Leaf shinobi would be so concerned about Sand shinobi, especially someone like Gaara. Not only have they accepted Naruto, they have accepted and care about another just like him. I think you would be pleased, otō-san.

There was a loud yawn from the yard. Kiba stretched and wiggled. He rolled off his dog and stood. He stretched his arms above his head and made a loud, happy noise.

"What a great nap!" he rubbed his belly and then ran one hand through his hair.

Ino looked up, "What a mess. Kiba, do you even own a comb?"

Kiba made a face at her. He squinted at the game board on the porch, "That hasn't changed at all since I got here. Wouldn't it make it more challenging if there was a time limit on each move? Or maybe you should have to run an obstacle course or something before you get to move."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and made an exasperated sound. He moved a piece.

"Check in five moves."

Asuma stared at the board in dismay and then smacked himself in the forehead. He was going to lose again.

Shikamaru made another irritated sound.

"Would you stop doing that, you sound like a leaky tire," Ino said.

Sakura giggled, "I think he misses Temari."

Kiba snorted, "Yeah, like I'd miss a kunai up the ass."

"Kiba!"

Shikamaru flopped backwards onto the porch. He sighed.

"I keep running over it again and again, and it still doesn't make any sense. It's just so…"

"Annoying," everyone finished for him.

Shikamaru sat up abruptly and folded his arms, "What they should've done was attack all three convoys, their chances of picking the right one were too low. Then they spent way to much time messing around. That whole business of sending stuff to Baki made no sense."

Asuma chuckled, "So _that's_ what's bothering you." He gestured at the game board. "People are not like these pieces, they don't always behave in predefined and predictable moves. You always have to allow for some error when you calculate the probability of an enemy's actions."

"You're always predictable when we play," Shikamaru groused. "So why should they be any different?"

Sakura giggled at Asuma's dismayed expression, "Because silly, that's chess, not real life."

"Still, it was an illogical way to achieve their goals."

"What's logical about revenge anyways?" Choji asked. "Otō-san always says it's about as useful as…" he stopped and blushed when realized that he might say something offensive in Ino's presence.

"Revenge? I thought they wanted to rescue their brother before he was sent to prison?" Kiba asked. "How do you get revenge out of that?"

"Kiba! Do you ever read anything? Honestly!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "It was all in the mission specs and old reports Temari let us see, before they left. Baki put the oldest brother in prison and he maimed Araki, they probably want revenge for that. Actually, they must have had two goals in mind, because they wanted to keep their brother out of prison, too."

"Hmm. Maybe. Still…" Shikamaru's gazed unfocused. "It still makes no sense. Why send just the puppets?"

"Things can get illogical when family considerations come into play," Asuma said.

"What does that mean?"

"I guess you might not know about that. The four brothers, or the Four Winds as they were called, went rogue with their father. He was a high ranking shinobi who left the village after he and his sons killed some council members. The Third Kazekage sent a party after them, the brothers escaped but their father was killed. It was a long and bloody mission; they were tracked for months by a powerful jounin. That jounin became the Fourth Kazekage."

"So it's some sort of blood feud," Shikamaru frowned, "but shinobi aren't supposed to get involved in that sort of thing."

"Ah, but they are no longer shinobi," Asuma held up a chess piece, "so they might not follow all the standard moves."

"How are you supposed to figure them then? What good are tactics if the opponent doesn't follow the rules?"

Shikamaru rubbed his forehead. He could not stop running the scenario through his mind and it was giving him a headache. It was like one the puzzles that Asuma would bring for him to solve. Shikamaru did not want to work on them, it was too much of an effort, but his sensei would leave them lying around and seeing them unsolved would bother Shikamaru until he could not stand it anymore. It was like an itch between the shoulders, annoying and hard to reach, but you could not let it be.

"War games and simulations are just the start of good tactics. You have to learn to think outside of them sometimes. The trick is to know when it's one of those times."

Shikamaru rested his chin on his hand, "Is this one of those times?"

Asuma shrugged.

Shikamaru made an exasperated sound.

Bothersome, he thought, the whole family is annoying. Temari is as scary as my mother; they'll both keep bugging me until I become a jounin. Gaara and his demon are scary too, he's quiet, but the way he stares at me gives me the creeps, and Kankuro's loud, rude, and unpredictable with those crazy puppets.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, but there was more to Kankuro. He was smart, he was strong (Shikamaru had tried to pick Karasu up once and almost ruptured something), he was loyal to his village, and he was very protective of his family. Shikamaru had witnessed how close the Sand Siblings were first hand. He had gone out to dinner with Temari and Kankuro once during a visit to the Sand village. Some men in the restaurant had insulted her and Kankuro had started a fight when they would not apologize. Shikamaru had seen the puppeteer without his face paint and cowl for the first time that night. Shikamaru had not recognized him at first, and had only figured out who he was because he had looked some much like the statue of the Fourth Kazekage Shikamaru had seen in the council room earlier in the day.

There was a connection that he could almost see; four brothers and their father, the Sand Siblings, their father, and Baki. Shikamaru grunted, just like that things had fallen into place, the itch had been scratched, and for a brief moment he felt content. Then he realized what it meant if he was correct, and went right back to feeling annoyed.

"They meant to target Kankuro's group, they wanted him, not the prisoner. They do want revenge…for their father's death."

"That makes sense," Asuma said, "so why didn't they kill him?"

"They were going to, but not until all of them, all _four_ brothers were together again. I might be wrong…but if I'm right, it's going to be a big problem for the Leaf village," Shikamaru looked glum. "This isn't over yet. I guess I need to see the Hokage." He sighed. "So annoying."


	7. Shanshouo, Part II The Scrollmaker

Seven-Shanshouo, Part II The Scrollmaker

Kankuro stirred and muttered something and his eyes fluttered open, so Baki moved his chair closer to the bed.

"Kankuro." Baki lifted a glass of water from the bedside table. "Have some of this."

He helped Kankuro drink a little of the water. The chunin sighed, closing his eyes. They immediately popped open again.

"Karasu? Kuroari?"

Baki held out a hand to forestall any movement. "They're right here."

He gestured to where the puppets were sitting. Kankuro twisted his head to see them and before Baki could do anything he had rolled onto his side and brought his arms out from under the blankets covering him.

"Kankuro, leave it for now."

"No! Don't touch me!"

Baki could not believe he was trying to connect with his puppets. He reached out to Kankuro, but the chunin twisted away, muttering a protest.

Kankuro flexed his hands; he could not believe how much it hurt to do this simple jutsu. It felt like it took forever, but Karasu and Kuroari began to move. It was not much more than a couple of gear clicks and a fluttering of Kuroari's remaining arms, but it was enough for Kankuro.

"Had to be sure." His voice was faint.

He had been afraid that whatever Araki had done to him had wrecked his ability to manipulate his puppets. He curled up into a ball and waited for the pain to go away. He hurt all over, but the ache just below his breast bone was the worst. He rocked back and forth, hands pressed to his face to muffle his gasps. When the ache eased, he rolled onto his back. Baki offered him some more water. Kankuro sipped and then relaxed back. He did not know where he was, but Baki was there, so that meant he was safe.

It also means something else, Kankuro thought, something bad.

"Baki, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to…"

Baki held up a hand. "It's fine Kankuro. Don't worry."

"But Baki, you know what they'll…"

"Kankuro, it was not me."

Kankuro frowned at him and tried to remember. He had been fighting with Jo and then…

"Gaara! That wasn't part of the mission. That's almost as bad as…"

Baki held up his hand again. "This is what happened, Kankuro. They were on their way back to the village. It was a training exercise and they just happened to stumble across the men."

Kankuro's frown deepened. "What? That makes no sense. A training exercise? Whose stupid idea was that?"

Baki's eyebrow rose. "Training is stupid? It was Temari's idea, so you had better watch what you say about it. She's very upset with you for getting hurt. The training exercise was her idea and she convinced the others to participate. They found you by accident."

"By accident? What do you mean by…oh!" A smile tugged at the corner of Kankuro's mouth. "Convinced? You mean she bullied them into it." The small smile faded. "No one but a complete idiot is going to believe that story, Baki."

Baki shrugged. "It is what was reported to me and it is the story I will relate to the council when I give the mission report."

"The mission." Kankuro shut his eyes. "Baki, I screwed up."

"The overall mission was a success. Gaara's group delivered the prisoner safe and sound. One might even argue that Jo's death is an added bonus. The only one of the Four Winds left at large is Araki."

"The prison!" Kankuro's eyes popped open.

He told Baki about the plans he had overheard.

"Are you sure about this?"

Kankuro thought about what Araki had said would happen to him once all the brothers were free.

"Damn sure."

"But you don't know how they were going to free their brothers."

"No, Araki just said that the job suited him perfectly." Kankuro shook his head. "I don't know. I guess I screwed that up too."

Kankuro had made some errors in judgment during the mission, that was true, but Baki knew that this was not the time for a serious debriefing.

"Kankuro, don't be so…"

"This place looks expensive. Where are we?"

Baki let his student change the subject. "We are at an inn, about two days away from where they found you. Eisuke is here and so are Gaara and Temari."

"Eisuke's here?"

"Yes, he came with me. We told the council that I was going to help him with some business negotiations with another village."

"Business? You? And they believed it? What a bunch of morons."

"Kankuro," Baki admonished, but he felt oddly relieved, hearing Kankuro speak about the council in his usual disrespectful manner.

Kankuro rubbed his chest; the effort of controlling his puppets and the short conversation with Baki had worn him out. His whole body felt heavy and it was an effort to keep his eyes open.

"It won't happen again Baki," he murmured, slipping back into sleep. "_They_ used to take on armies. I'll figure it out. I just need to…"

Baki tucked the blankets around the boy and went into the sitting room of their suite. Eisuke looked up from the papers spread out in front of him.

"I heard voices. Is he awake?"

Baki sat down and told Eisuke about their conversation.

"That doesn't sound good. Are you going to let the Leaf village know about it?"

"Of course, and I will offer whatever assistance they need."

"Good."

"Do you know where Temari and Gaara are? I should tell them he was awake and I will give them this other news."

"I don't know where Gaara is, but Temari's visiting a kimono maker."

"A kimono maker?" Baki frowned; it was unlike Temari to attend to personal matters when she was working.

"Don't worry, it's not as frivolous as it sounds." The merchant grinned.

Baki's frown deepened, Eisuke seemed too cheerful for the circumstances.

Eisuke saw his expression. "Sorry Baki, but…well, you've got Kankuro back, Jo is dead, and the rest of the group is scattered or dead. Therefore we have effectively dealt with much of the banditry problem that has plagued us for years. And to top it off, I made a sale of some good quality cloth to Temari and I will get a commission from the kimono maker. So it's all good."

"Perhaps, but this is not an appropriate time to celebrate over profit."

"Well, I haven't really any just yet. I sold the cloth to Temari way under cost, but from what I hear she'll need a good formal kimono in the near future. You can't send your jounin off on diplomatic missions in just anything. She'll be a walking advertisement for me with her beauty and the tailor's skill. Then I'll have some profit."

"Jounin… How did you hear about that?"

"It's no secret that she and Gaara are both being considered for promotion. This last mission should clinch it for both of them." Eisuke's cheerful expression dimmed. "How will Kankuro be about it? He wasn't even on the list of candidates."

"Angry and frustrated, but then he will work twice as hard until he catches up with them. I am not sure that recent events will help them, Eisuke. The council will say that the circumstances of Jo's death are a sign that Gaara cannot control the demon. They will criticize Temari's actions; she had help from the Leaf to do this. Fingers will point at Kankuro too; he should not have tried to take on that many men alone."

"He wasn't alone."

"Alright he had help. _Two_ puppets. Even that is an issue. I had a visit from Sumisu-san before we left. Do you remember what he said the day we read the Fourth Kazekage's will?"

"He made some threats about taking the bequests back."

"Correct. He wanted to know why Kankuro is not using all three puppets."

"That third one, uh, Shanshouo, is too big and slow. He can operate all three, right?"

"Yes, but if he's not using them in missions…"

"Ibiki." Eisuke rolled his eyes. "Between you and me Baki, the man is a complete idiot; all he ever does is create dissension. This…thing he has about the Sand Siblings has gone on for too long." Eisuke paused, deciding whether or not he should tell Baki about what he had been doing recently. It was not the best time to spring the news on the jounin, but they were on the subject and Eisuke did not know when the opportunity would come again. "That's about to change, you know. The village has gone too long without a leader. You should've said yes when we offered it to you."

"I'm not…"

"That's crap, but we can't force you into it. However, it left us with little choice but to take matters into our own hands."

"_Us_? I am not sure I like the sound of this."

"Then you should've accepted the position."

Eisuke grinned at him. Baki frowned back, a suspicion growing in his mind about what Eisuke had done. The merchant was so amiable it was easy to forget just how ambitious he was. The Saito family had always been prosperous, but since Eisuke had taken over from his father, they had also become powerful. Baki had no concerns about his loyalty, but it was disconcerting to realize that Eisuke had been acting without Baki's knowledge.

"We need a leader, Baki. Someone who is strong, loyal, and has proven he can protect the things he cares about. We must show the other villages that we have put our past mistakes behind us and we must maintain our independence."

"You're not suggesting…Temari."

"No. Not that she wouldn't do a good job, but this village is not ready to accept a woman as Kazekage. Maybe some day, but not now. I mean Gaara."

"Gaara? But he's…" Baki shook his head. "The council would never agree to it."

"Oh, I think they will. Public opinion will bring it about. It may take time, but it will happen."

"Public opinion?"

"Right. The people of the village, shinobi and civilian, are already starting to talk about the possibility. They hear the stories about how he wants nothing more than to protect this village. People see him as responsible, calm, and supremely strong. The demon is under control and being put to good use, just as the Fourth Kazekage wanted."

"I did not realize that there was such a strong feeling about this."

"Well, it had a little help. A speech here, a positive story there. You know how it is; a couple of merchants loudly extol his virtues in a crowded bar and pretty soon everyone is talking about how great he is."

"I can't say I approve."

"Then you should have accepted. It's still not too late…"

"No."

"But we can count on you to support Gaara? He will need your help."

"Of course. You don't even need to ask."

"Excellent!" Eisuke spread his hands. "So like I said, it's all good."

Eisuke made it sound so simple, but Baki knew that it was going to take more than some bar tales to make Gaara the next Kazekage. He looked at the bedroom door. He wondered how Kankuro would feel about Eisuke's plans. The next few months were bound to be difficult for him. In addition, Baki had a feeling that the business with the Four Winds was not yet finished.

"You know." Eisuke gestured towards the bedroom door. "I always sort of thought…"

"Kankuro?"

"It's not that hard to imagine. He practically grew up in council meetings. He's smart, dedicated, and he knows how this village runs. He got more than his looks from his father."

"So why Gaara?"

"Right now he is the strongest of the three. I'm no shinobi, but something tells me that in a few more years Kankuro is going to be on a whole different level." Eisuke frowned. "And right now, people don't quite know if they trust him."

"What?"

"It's the puppets. Their connection to Sasori makes people uneasy. He killed a lot of people before he left and now he's supposed to be part of some group of rogue shinobi. You've heard the rumours."

Baki nodded.

"Well, there's some concern that since Kankuro has Sasori's puppets, he will follow in Sasori's footsteps."

"That's ridiculous."

"I agree, but I know him. Most people don't, all they see is the fierce shinobi in the make up with those puppets. I was young when Sasori left, but I remember how awful it was. It's weird Baki, but people prefer the demon to the memory of that massacre."

"I never knew why the Kazekage decided to train one of his own children as a puppeteer, much less why he gave him Sasori's creations. But I do know this: Kankuro is _not_ Sasori and he never will be. If you can manage it Eisuke, I will be happy and proud to support Gaara, but the truth is that any of the Fourth's children would make an excellent Kazekage. No matter what else he did, right or wrong, the village is much stronger because of these gifts he left us."

-0000-

Tsunade rested her chin on her folded hands. Her steady gaze flicked over the men standing before her. Asuma shifted his unlit smoke back and forth, but otherwise seemed unaffected by her stare, Izumo and Kotetsu looked, as they usually did in her presence, nervous, and Shikamaru looked glum.

"That is some disturbing news, if it is true. So, let me get this clear, you based all this on the fact that Kankuro looks like the Fourth Kazekage?"

Shikamaru sighed. "It's thin I know, but nothing else makes sense. I mean, if you want revenge against a dead guy, then I suppose…"

Tsunade held up a hand to stop him. "I'm convinced. What I want to hear now is, what are you going to do about it?"

"Me?" Shikamaru sighed. "Aw, man."

"Well, not you alone. I have been thinking about using four man teams for special missions and this will be an opportunity to test the idea. These two," she pointed at Kotetsu and Izumo, "did duty rotations at the prison so they will be a good addition and Asuma knows about the four brothers and their skills. You've been a liaison to the Sand before, so you know their people. So, what are you going to do?"

Shikamaru sighed again and his shoulders slumped.

Damn it, he thought, no matter how hard I try I keep getting dragged into these crazy missions.

His eyes drifted to the window where puffy white clouds drifted, free of responsibility and annoyance. He made an irritated noise.

Kotetsu snickered, the kid was hilarious. The job sounded promising though. He would do anything to get away from the never ending piles of paper, or worse, gate duty. Izumo elbowed him in the ribs, trying to get him to look more solemn. If the Hokage thought that they were not serious, they would be right back riding desks.

"First off, we should tell the Sand about this. Then we should watch to see what the two brothers already in the prison do. It'll be a huge pain, but maybe we could use the opportunity to try and catch this Araki guy."

"He does have a substantial price on his head," Shizune said.

Tsunade nodded. "It would be nice to bring in some income to compensate for the time you four put into this. Kotetsu, can it be done? Can we monitor them closely without letting them know?"

Kotetsu scratched his chin, thinking. "It'll be hard for the guards to watch them specifically and not be obvious about it. But, it might be possible to get others to do the job for us. We just have to motivate them properly."

"You mean other prisoners?" Shikamaru said. "Won't they tell?"

"Some might, but not the two I have in mind. They're not really fond of the Sand, so they might be willing. Best thing is." Kotetsu grinned. "They'll work for peanuts, literally."

Tsunade chuckled. "I know who you have in mind. It just might work. So what else?"

"For now, we watch and try to figure out what they are going to do. Can we get copies of the mission reports? You know, from the mission the Fourth Kazekage led when he was still a jounin and for the one Baki led."

Asuma nodded. "That's a good idea. If the Hokage asks, they might let us see them."

Tsunade made an irritated noise. "That might be a problem. Their council is worse than ours about that sort of thing. If there was a Kazekage then I'd just ask him, but… I'll put the request to Baki when I let him know about this. Alright, get to it men. Submit updates to Shizune when you can. Dismissed!"

-0000-

Temari looked in the mirror. Her hair was neat, the parts straight and clean, her socks were spotless, her kimono was pleated and belted properly, and her fan was gleaming from polish. She was ready to go and have tea with her sensei. She went to the living room, intending to tell Kankuro that she was on her way out. Two weeks had passed since they had rescued him and Temari was getting more and more worried. His wounds were healing, but Kankuro was tired and irritable all the time. He had always been short tempered, but lately there was an edge to his outbursts that Temari had never seen before.

Kankuro was asleep on a couch in the living room, a book lying open on his chest. His hands twitched; he always did that when he slept. Temari wondered if he controlled puppets in his dreams or if it was a reaction to manipulating chakra the way he did. He made a noise, a moan, and his whole body twitched. If he was having a dream, it was not a good one. Temari stepped closer, unsure of what to do; waking up a shinobi was always a risky business. Kankuro jerked again, his face screwed up in pain, and he whimpered, a noise Temari had never heard him make before. She reached out to touch his shoulder and he arched up off the couch, making the book slide off his chest. It crashed to the floor before Temari could catch it. The noise woke Kankuro up.

"Temari," he gasped. "What the hell?"

He groaned and pressed his hands to his midsection, rolling so that his back was to her.

"Kankuro, what's wrong?"

"Aren't you supposed to be off slurping tea?"

"I'm on my way right now, but if you're not feeling well…"

She leaned closer and touched his shoulder.

He jerked away, slapping at her hand. "Stop hovering, damn it. I'm fine."

"Kankuro…"

He rolled over and sat up, glaring at her. "I'm fine! Just leave me the fuck alone!"

Temari pulled back, a dismayed expression on her face. Kankuro shut his eyes tight and willed the pain to go away. He wrapped his arms around his middle and hunched over, trying to get himself under control.

"I'm alright, Temari," he said, trying to sound calm. "You just startled me. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Temari did not look convinced. "Kankuro…"

"I'm fine, maybe a little tired, but fine. Go on or you'll be late. You shouldn't keep that wrinkly old bat waiting."

Temari made a tsking noise, but she stood up.

"Alright." She pointed at him. "Make sure you eat something."

Once Temari was gone, Kankuro relaxed back with a sigh. He felt even more tired than he did before the nap; the dull pain in his gut just wore him out. Every time he lay down to sleep he hoped that it would be gone when he woke up and things would get back to normal, but they never did.

-0000-

"You seem preoccupied today Temari. Is everything alright?" Keiko asked.

"Sorry, Keiko-san."

"No need to apologize. I remember what it is like. I walked around with my head in the clouds for days before I became a jounin. I am so proud of you."

"Thank-you Keiko-san, but that's not it," Temari said.

She was not sure if she should say anything; it was the sort of conversation her sensei did not like to have over tea.

"Is he still having trouble?"

"Yes, sensei. I am sorry…"

"Who?"

Temari looked at her sensei for permission. The old woman did not look pleased, but she gestured for Temari to go ahead. She told Keiko about Kankuro and why she was worried for him. "Baki's worried too. Sumisu-san has been on his case about Kankuro not using all three puppets. If he takes it any further… Well, Kankuro does not need to worry about that right now too."

"Has he not mastered all three puppets? I thought he had."

"Well, he has, but Shanshouo's too big to carry and he moves too slow. So Kankuro usually can't take him on missions."

"Well, where is his scroll?"

"His scroll? Whose?"

"The puppet's. Each one has one so you can… You have no idea what I am talking about do you?"

"Of course I do. You mean a scroll to summon them, like I have for Katamari?" Temari shook her head. "Kankuro doesn't have anything like that for his puppets."

"Oh. Why not?"

"Uh, well, I don't think he knows that you can… Keiko-san are you saying that you can seal an object that big into a scroll? I've seen it done with weapons, but nothing the size of Shanshouo." Temari paused. "You can do it with a summoned creature, but it involves incredible amounts of chakra and that usually comes from the creature. I didn't know puppeteers did that."

Keiko looked surprised. "No one has taught him? It's a skill all puppeteers must master."

Temari had to swallow a testy comment. Keiko seemed clueless about the situation, yet she saw Kankuro all the time.

"Keiko," her sensei said. "You have spent too many years inside that unpleasant little building with your nose in a book. They are all gone, except Chiyo, and she will have nothing to do with the boy. Why do think you have seen him so much over the years?"

Keiko blinked. "Because he likes books, of course."

"Well, he does, but that's because they taught him to be a puppeteer after our… You really didn't know that he had no one teaching him about the puppet arts?" Temari still could not believe it.

"I did not." Keiko was frowning now. "I cannot imagine the Fourth Kazekage just giving him such formidable weapons and no instruction. How irresponsible. How did this happen?"

"Well, uh…" Temari did not know where to start.

"You knew about this?" Keiko asked her friend. "Why didn't you tell me sooner. I could have…"

"No. I agree with Chiyo's decision. He should not even have been given the puppets in the first place."

Keiko looked appalled. "It is wrong to let the art die, to lose all that knowledge, just because of one man's actions. I could easily…."

"No! He'll do what the Kazekage did, or worse, he'll follow in Sasori's footsteps."

"You don't know that."

"I do!"

Temari gasped, shocked by the angry expression that had appeared on her sensei's face.

"I do know, because he is a man and just like all men, he will seek power for power's sake alone."

"He's just trying to be a better shinobi, so he can help Gaara. That's the only thing he wants, sensei. Keiko-san, if you know…" Temari started.

The old woman pointed at Keiko. "I forbid it!"

Temari was stunned speechless for the first time in many years. She had never seen her sensei point at anyone with a bare hand, she considered it the pinnacle of rudeness. Keiko, however, was unaffected. She sipped her tea and set the cup down, her movements precise. She slipped her glasses from her face, folded them, and set them beside the tea cup. Temari had never seen her without glasses; the librarian's eyes were gray, like dense fog. A chill slipped down Temari's spine.

Keiko's voice was low and even. "You know that you do not have the authority to do that. I am sure you recall the last time you tried. It has been several years, but the result will be the same."

The two women stared at each other while Temari watched. She had not expected that taking tea would turn into a contest of wills between two powerful kunoichi. The amount of chakra surging between them was astounding, she had always known that her sensei was strong, but Keiko's powerful aura was beyond anything she had ever guessed about the librarian.

"Fine. Show him," her sensei hissed. "Share your precious knowledge. But if I see any hint of _that_ in his art, then…"

Temari did not see the motion of her hand or the fan she used, but Keiko's tea cup fell apart like a fruit cut into quarters. The dregs of her tea spilled into the saucer, which was undamaged.

Keiko blinked and her face resumed its normal, pleasant expression. She retrieved her glasses. She looked at the tea leaves sitting in the saucer.

"What an interesting reading: trusting in a good heart is the surest path to success. Oh and look, a visit from a tall, dark, bearded stranger. I always enjoy those."

-0000-

Karasu and Kuroari whirled through the air, dodging attacks from the men on the ground. There had been more than thirty to start but now only ten remained. Kankuro was trying to get the remaining men to move into a tight defensive formation so he could use a bomb to take them all out at once. Six of the men formed a loose circle, so he had the two puppets circle them in a decreasing spiral, forcing them to bunch together. It was a tricky piece of puppetry, both puppets were going very fast and firing weapons on the move. You had to be careful that the trajectories and timing were perfect so one puppet did not take the other out. It was hard when you were standing nearby, and even harder when you were crouching inside a third puppet. Kankuro had Shanshouo's armour up and he was sunk into the sand. It was an excellent defensive position, well worth the long hours Kankuro had spent figuring out how to control puppets you could not see in precise aerial combat.

One man tried to run up Shanshouo's back, the puppet's tail lashed out and hit him in the midsection with bone breaking force. The man exploded into a drift of sand.

"Another down, nine to go," Kankuro muttered. "Show's almost over."

A bomb went off, decimating the small group of men. Kankuro redirected his puppets to chase down the ones who had survived. Kuroari pounced on one, gathering the man into his arms and squeezing until he went limp. Karasu took the others out with kunai. Kankuro sent both puppets into the air to check the area out in case more men were hiding. When he was sure that the area was safe, he brought them back to sit at Shanshouo's side. He retracted Shanshouo's defensive shield and tried to get his wind back. Working with his puppets seemed to push away some of the pain, but it left him exhausted. It was much harder to produce and manipulate the chakra than before he had been captured. Kankuro shivered as a breeze wafted over the sweat on his hands and face, it was before dawn and the desert was cold. He dabbed the sweat off his face and leaned back, closing his eyes, and taking deep breaths.

A tendril of sand snaked over his shoulder and pushed under his jaw.

"What the…!" Kankuro's eyes snapped open and he swatted at the sand. "Gaara, what the fuck? Don't do that!"

The sand retreated. Kankuro wheezed in air, pulse racing again. Gaara appeared at Shanshouo's head.

"You were having difficulty breathing. I was checking your pulse." He looked around at the remains of the sand clones he had created for the simulation. "It worked."

Kankuro was not sure if his brother was asking him or telling him. He slid down Shanshouo's side to the ground and sat with his back against the puppet. He pushed his fingers under his forehead protector to wipe away sweat.

"Yeah, it did. Thanks for the help Gaara."

They had recreated the attack that had led to Kankuro's capture. Kankuro had wanted to see if he would have been able repel the attack if he had had all three puppets. Once or twice a week, they would get up before dawn to spar in the desert and watch the sun rise. Sometimes they would talk, but mostly they just sat and watched.

"The exercise was useful for me too. I have extended my clone making abilities considerably because of it." Gaara looked towards the pale predawn horizon. "It is one of his strongest moves. I wonder what else he has learned since going away. How far towards his goal has he gotten?"

Kankuro did not say anything, no response was needed, and he did not have to ask who 'he' was.

"The jounin interviews are next week," Gaara continued.

"Yeah, you guys will do fine." Kankuro wrapped his arms around his legs and pulled his knees against his chest.

"Temari will do well. I may not be involved."

"What does that mean? If those idiots have…"

"No." Gaara held up a hand to stop his brother. He did not want Kankuro to get upset, it seemed to cause him pain. As far as Gaara could tell, everything did lately. "No, it's not what you think. They asked me something and I wanted to talk to you before I gave them an answer. They asked me if I would be the next Kazekage."

"Gaara, that's…" Kankuro hugged his knees hard. "You've done it."

"I have not given them my answer yet."

"What?" Kankuro looked up at his brother. "Why not?"

"I wanted to talk to you first. I wanted you to be the first to know and I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, but it can't be much of a decision. It's what you wanted."

"Yes it is. I have wished for this day and worked for it, but others have helped too. You believed in me Kankuro and you have supported me like no one else."

"Not as much as I should've as your brother."

"You have done more than you realize. I will need your help more than ever. I need someone I can trust."

"You can trust Baki."

"True, but he is already busy. I will need someone to help with security and intelligence. You are good at that, finding things out, research."

"Right. _That_. Paperwork. I suppose that's something even a chunin can do."

Gaara was not sure what to make of the tone of his brother's voice. "I hope you will continue to help me with this even after you become a jounin."

"If I ever do."

Gaara frowned. "You don't want to be a jounin?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you will be. So, will you help me?"

"Hell yeah."

"You should hurry and get better then."

"I'm trying Gaara."

"We should get back. The sun is coming up."

"You go ahead, you don't have to wait on us." Kankuro patted Shanshouo's side. "I have a couple of other things I want to practice."

Gaara nodded and a few moments later he was out of sight. Kankuro did not get up, instead he wrapped his arms around his legs again and pressed his forehead against his knees.

Gaara floated across the desert, he decided that he would go to the village walls to wait and watch until Kankuro got back safely.

That is my job now, more than ever, he thought, watching over them all to make sure they stay safe.

-0000-

"Keiko-san?" Kankuro tapped on the door. He had gotten a message from Keiko saying that she wanted to talk to him.

"Come in Kankuro."

Kankuro stepped in, trying not to be too obvious about his curiosity. He had never been in this part of the library before.

"Thank-you for coming Kankuro." She paused. "You look tired."

"I'm okay."

She pushed her stool away from the work bench. She peered at him closely, not liking what she saw.

"You are still hurt."

"It's just some bruises, they're almost gone. Keiko-san what did you what to see me about?"

"I had not realized… You should go to the hospital and…"

"I'm fine! I've had enough of that place and I've had enough of…" Kankuro stopped himself, he was starting to yell. "Keiko-san, I'm fine. Really."

She did not look convinced, but she picked a scroll up off the desk and handed it to him.

"Do you know what this is?"

Kankuro unrolled a short length. "Weapons are sealed in them. Temari fought a Leaf kunoichi who used them at the chunin exams. Kicked her…uh, she beat her easily."

"I don't doubt it. Do you know how they are made?"

"Sure, I know the basics, most shinobi do. It's a good way to carry extra weapons without a lot of extra weight." He handed the scroll back to Keiko. "I tried to figure out how to make one to carry Karasu when I first got him. I had a really hard time carrying him at first."

"I remember, you were not much bigger than he was back then. But I don't remember you asking for any books about that sort of technique."

"I never got that far. I asked otō-san first. He told me to forget about it."

"Did he say why?"

"No. I asked him and he didn't give me much of an answer. I kept bugging him about it." Kankuro winced at the memory. "He got mad. It was weird; usually he was pretty good about explaining stuff to me, even when it was above my head."

"What do you know about Sasori of the Red Sands?"

Kankuro blinked, surprised by the change of subject. "He's the greatest puppeteer since Monzaemon, maybe the best ever. About eighteen years ago he went rogue and left the village. He killed a lot of people before he left, mostly puppeteers. The fight was brutal; some of the bodies were never recovered. It was right about the time the Third went missing, so the village was really short handed and the search for him left it vulnerable to attack."

"Do you know why he went rogue?"

"Not really. Everything I've read is vague about it. The other puppeteers didn't like his approach to puppet making, but I don't know why."

"What do you know about Chiyo-baa-sama?"

"She taught Sasori. She was on the council, she still is I guess, but she hasn't been seen in years. She's the one who…she sealed the demon in Gaara."

"Do you remember that?"

"No, I was just little. Temari might. Keiko-san, what does this have to do with…whatever it is you want?"

Keiko ran her fingers over the scroll; over writing and symbols that held weapons outside of time and space until they were needed in battle. "I have spent many years on the fringes of things," she said finally, "but I think I must become involved again. I think I know you well enough that I can be sure that you will make the right decisions."

She put the scroll away.

"You were going in the right direction. Scroll making was a skill all puppeteers had to learn. They used a variation on the basic technique; it's one thing to create a scroll for kunai, but it is something different for a puppet, they are complex, often large, and infused with their user's chakra."

"So it can be done," he said, thinking about Chiyo and the letter she had written to the lawyer. It was always like this. Something always got in his way to prevent him from learning techniques and getting stronger. "But Chiyo-baa-sama will never show me. It's not fair." He wanted to kick something,

"I am sure it seems that way, Kankuro. I think I see why it happened now," she murmured, half to herself. Then she continued in a louder voice. "Demons were sealed into your brother and Uzumaki Naruto using different techniques. Chiyo-baa-sama developed one technique using her knowledge of scroll making and Sasori helped her. But he had a different goal. He wanted to create the ultimate weapon, a living puppet."

"Living puppet? You mean transfer chakra to a puppet so it can move on its own?"

"It went beyond that; they figured out how to transfer a person's life force into a puppet or into another person. They did the research in secret, without permission from the puppet guild. After Sasori left, we discovered that he had done some additional experiments of his own."

"Experiments?" Kankuro had never heard any of this.

Keiko nodded, looking unhappy. "He was using a variation on her methods to make puppets…from people. When the nature of his 'research' was revealed, it ruined the reputation of the few remaining puppeteers. The puppet squads were an exclusive and very effective special ops unit. The village leaders, including the Kazekage, had little control over them, therefore many people were quite happy to see them disgraced. When the Kazekage gave you Karasu it caused quite a stir. People were afraid Kankuro, afraid that there was another Sasori in the making."

"You mean the daimyo."

"Among others. You had Sasori's puppets and if you learned these techniques from Chiyo-baa-sama, what would stop you from becoming like him?"

"What?! I'm not him! I never even met him! Idiots! That's…"

Kankuro wanted to rant and yell about how unfair it was. For years he had been dealing with the fact that he looked like his father, whom most people blamed for the failed invasion of the Leaf village. Now he was being labeled again, just because his puppets had been made by someone everyone feared.

Keiko nodded, her expression sympathetic. "It is terribly unfair. People look at you, they see past wrongs and then they forget or are unwilling to see, the present. Both you and Gaara have suffered because of this."

Kankuro looked at his feet. He had been among the people who had looked at Gaara seen only a monster.

"I haven't had it as nearly as bad as him," he said. "Not even close." He took deep breath, the whole conversation was making him frustrated and angry. "If they don't like the puppets and the paint, it's their problem. I am a puppeteer, but I'm not Sasori. I'm going to help Gaara be the best Kazekage ever. So if I need to force Chiyo-baa-sama to show me the technique…"

"I do not think that it would be wise to approach her and make demands. She is determined to remain in seclusion until she dies. Also, the daimyo would use it as proof that you are Sasori's heir."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!" Kankuro yelled before he could stop himself.

"Well, I was thinking that I should teach you."

"Wha..? You? You can…?" Kankuro caught his breath with a painful hitch. He stared at Keiko with his mouth hanging open.

"Yes, I was." She frowned. "But now I…"

"But what?! What the hell is it now?!"

Kankuro tried to stop, but before he knew it he was yelling, almost screaming at Keiko. Part of him knew it was wrong, really wrong, but he could not stop, his frustration had just spilled over. Keiko held up a placating hand, her eyes wide with concern, but Kankuro was beyond caring. The next thing he knew he was outside the library, gasping for breath and trying not to throw up. Once he was able to move, he headed for home. He curled up on his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest. He would try to sleep and later when his head was clearer he would plan what to do. He had always managed on his own before, this time would be no different. He pushed his face into the pillow, trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of his head that was trying to convince him otherwise. It sounded a lot like Araki.

Shut the hell up, he thought, you didn't break me and you can't stop me.

-0000-

Baki looked up from his paperwork, startled, someone was standing in front of his desk.

"Keiko-san." She had entered his office without alerting him. Not many shinobi could do that. "Please, have a seat. Could I get you something?"

"No, thank-you."

She wandered over to his book shelf. She ran her fingers over the books and then started to rearrange them.

"Keiko-san can I do something for you?"

"I should apologize to you Baki. I have done something rather inappropriate." She left the books and returned to his desk. "I went ahead and spoke to your student without asking you first. It was most inappropriate and I apologize. And then…I did not realize that he had been so badly hurt." She saw the puzzled look on his face. "I talked to Kankuro. I did not realize that he had not learned about scroll making so I offered to help him. That was wrong."

"Please Keiko-san. If you feel you can help him, then by all means go ahead. I have been able to do so little, so any help you could offer…"

"You have done wonderfully and you are still needed. Do you know how badly he is hurt?"

"I have a good idea, but his wounds are healing."

"That's not what I am talking about." Keiko shook her head. "I cannot believe that no one noticed. The medic should have seen it immediately."

"Well, he was not in the hospital long, Keiko-san. It's not a place he likes; it's very hard to keep him there. He barely let anyone look at him."

"That would explain how things were allowed to get so bad. What was done to him?"

Baki told her what Kankuro had told him about Araki's method of manipulating chakra. "He was using it to inflict pain, but I don't think there was any long term damage. He is still able to manipulate his puppets."

Keiko looked grim. "I am afraid that he was doing more than that. You know all about the chakra net work and the gates that control its flow?" She tapped her stomach, just below her diaphragm. "This gate is important for someone who manipulates chakra the way Kankuro does. Puppet arts require massive amounts of chakra and this gate helps control the flow to the chakra strings, raw chakra is molded as it passes through. Araki damaged the control point and chakra has been pooling behind it. It is probably causing Kankuro great pain, affecting his disposition, and making his jutsu difficult."

"He has been more irritable than usual lately. I had thought it was because of Gaara and Temari. He won't admit it, but it hurt him to be left behind them. He's trying to be adult about it, but…"

"I am sure that is not helping. Oh dear, I am not explaining this well. Baki, what happens when a dam has too much pressure build up behind it?"

Baki's eye widened in alarm. "Are you sure about this?"

Keiko nodded.

"Can it be repaired?"

"I believe that it can. But that is not the real problem at this point. So much chakra has built up that it may do considerable damage when it is released. The trick will be to get the chakra to discharge into a safe environment before you can deal with what Araki did. This gate is also tied up with strong emotions and Kankuro is…"

"Short tempered."

"I was going to say passionate, but you get the point; it will make it difficult. He does not, or cannot, realize that something is seriously wrong. If this is done in the wrong way…"

"Tell me what to do. You are thinking to make use of my chakra adsorbing abilities?"

"I am. You are a splendid shinobi Baki, so quick and clever. The Fourth Kazekage made an excellent choice when he asked you to teach his children."

"Please, Keiko-san, I have done very little."

"You are too modest." Her expression sharpened and she peered at Baki over her glasses. "Now then, here is what you must do…"

-0000-

Temari was packing up the kitchen when Baki found her. They had decided to move out of the house; Temari was not there often and Gaara wanted to be closer to the administration offices. He would take a suite of rooms in the administrative building, Kankuro was going to move into an apartment in the same building, and Temari would stay with her sensei when she was in the village. The packing was starting to get on Temari's nerves; Gaara was no help and was too busy in any case. Kankuro had been no better, he had been out in his workshop for all day and Temari was sure that he had gotten nothing done.

"Where is Kankuro?"

"In the workshop. Could you talk some sense into him? He's been out there, sulking, all morning."

"How bad?"

"Really bad. I have half a mind to go out there and wind blast the place clean." She saw the look on Baki's face. "What's wrong?"

Baki told her about his visit from Keiko.

"That's horrible! How can I help?"

"For now just stay here and wait." He held up one hand to stop her protest. "If this does not work, you will need to get help."

Baki entered the workshop; at the best of times it was messy, but now it looked like Temari had already blasted it with her fan. Only Karasu and Kuroari were hanging in their proper places. Kankuro was standing in the middle of the mess, looking sullen.

"What?! Did Temari send you in here? I'm working on it! That new workroom is smaller, how am I supposed to cram all this shit in there?"

Baki opened his mouth to say something, but Kankuro was not finished.

"And don't give me that crap about how it would fit if I was more organized. I've been hearing it from Temari non-stop since we started packing."

Kankuro tossed some items into one of the boxes scattered around the room. He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his face. Baki was shocked; his student was in a bad way. Kankuro saw the concerned look on his face.

"What now?! Not you too! I'm fine, damn it!"

"Kankuro I think you know that is not true."

"I'm fine!" Kankuro put his hands over his face, every little thing seemed to bother him now. "Everyone just needs to back off!"

"Kankuro, you have to…"

Kankuro snarled a curse and kicked one of the boxes. Baki was astounded by the surge of chakra that accompanied Kankuro's outburst. He had arrived just in time it seemed. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was going to do. He reached out and grasped Kankuro's shoulder.

"Hey! What the hell?! Don't touch me!" Kankuro tried to twist away.

"Kankuro, you need to relax. Your chakra pathways have been altered. You have to let me…"

Kankuro gasped at the sudden pain. It was the same gut wrenching feeling had had experienced when Araki had attacked him. Kankuro growled and tried to push the jounin away, but Baki grabbed his student's hand, pushed it against his vest, and held it in place. He slid his other hand from Kankuro's shoulder to his mid-section, pressing his fingers into a specific set of pressure points and applying chakra. He had little medical training, but he was certain that Kankuro would not let any one else apply this technique to him. Kankuro grabbed his hand and tried to pry it away. Baki grit his teeth and held on. The air was electric with Kankuro's chakra; tools and puppets began to rattle and shift around them. Baki eyed the deadly weapons twitching on the wall across from him, but did not let go of his student.

Kankuro's eyes were wide with shock. Chakra burned its way from his gut, through his chest, and along his arms, making him shiver and sweat at the same time. Kankuro groaned, tightening his fists in Baki's vest; the material of the jounin's vest was starting to smoke. Baki was almost at his limit when Kankuro lurched forward with a pained cry and went limp, sagging at the knees. Baki eased his student to the ground, leaning him against a wall. He checked Kankuro's pulse, it was racing but felt strong and regular. The inside of his arms and his hands looked red and bruised and the mostly healed wound on his hand had started to bleed again.

Temari appeared at the door. "What happened? I felt this huge surge of…" She saw her brother. "Kankuro!"

Baki took a couple of deep breaths. "He'll be fine now. I'll bring him inside. Go get some help. He'll have to go to the hospital."

"Right." She started to leave. "Are you alright? Will he be alright?"

Baki nodded.

"Good. Because if anything happened to him. Or to you…" Temari stopped herself, getting all emotional would not help. "Thank-you Baki. I'll hurry and get help."

-0000-

A week later Baki was talking with a doctor while he waited for Kankuro. He could hear his student muttering curses in the other room. Kankuro was trying to get dressed; he had insisted that he do so himself, despite the thick bandages on his hands and arms.

Something especially vulgar caught the doctor's attention. Baki apologized, but the doctor waved it away with a chuckle. "Please, it's nothing. Some of his…usages are rather creative. I'm just glad he's getting better." The doctor shuddered. "What was done to him…is unimaginable."

"Thank-you again for your help."

"You did the hard part Baki-san; it probably saved his life. Those bandages should stay on for another few days, mostly to keep him from trying any techniques, the chakra burns have all healed, but I want him to have a little more rest before he returns to his regular routine." A grin spread across the man's face. "I'm afraid I'm giving you the hard part again; you have to ensure he uses no jutsu and no weapons for another few days."

They exchanged bows and grins and the doctor left. Baki went into Kankuro's room. He was trying to put his sandals on.

He glared at Baki. "They _sealed_ these stupid things on, I can't take them off. How am I supposed to do anything like this?"

"That's just the point, you are supposed to rest and heal."

"I'm fine! I've still got to pack my stuff for the move. And I need to know… I need to know that I'll still be able to…"

"You will be fine, just give it time."

"Might not have any, it isn't over. I won't let that asshole Araki get away with it."

"Revenge is not an option for a shinobi, Kankuro. You know that."

"That's not it. I thought about it while I was cooped up here. What he was doing…it wasn't just a way to hurt me. I think it had something to do with his plans to get his brothers out of prison. The mission was to get Kenosuke to prison and it's not complete until we know he's going to stay there."

"Those are some good thoughts, however…"

"I don't want to get back at him!" Kankuro stared at his bandaged arms for a few moments. "Okay, maybe I do a little. But Baki, you of all people should understand. Didn't you ever want…?"

Baki touched the cloth over his face. "I'd be lying if I said it never crossed my mind. But detaching yourself from those sort of emotions is part of being a good shinobi."

"You mean like Gaara and Temari do." Kankuro's shoulders slumped. "That's why I'm still a chunin. I'm not like them, not serious enough, just like you always say."

It probably was not the best time to lecture Kankuro, but it was not often he was in a reflective mood and Baki was not one to waste an opportunity. "No, you are not like them. And yes, it has something to do with why your promotion was delayed. But, I have come to realize that your…passion is what makes you a good puppeteer and, I have to admit, a good shinobi. You are much too head strong, you still act first and think later, but you are a better problem solver than most and a clever fighter."

"You really think that?"

"Have you ever known me to give an undeserved compliment?"

"Hell no." Kankuro flashed a brief grin at Baki, then went back to looking serious. He chewed on his lip. "I was thinking about some other things too. Did he…did otō-san ever tell you why he did it? Made me a puppeteer that is?"

"No, he never did."

"Do you think…" Kankuro chewed some more. "Was he trying to make me like Sasori?" He looked up at Baki, wide eyed. "I won't become like him, even if it means I have to give them up. I would never…"

"I know that. You may have his puppets Kankuro, but you are not like him."

"Did you know him?"

"Not well. Puppeteers kept to themselves and Sasori was more solitary than most. I'll tell you this Kankuro, I once thought your father made a grave mistake by making you a puppeteer and by giving you Sasori's puppets."

"And now?"

"I guess the old saying applies to puppets as well as clothes, neither makes the man. Whatever he intended, I think that he would be proud to see what you have accomplished with what he left you."

"He'd be prouder if I was a jounin."

"You know titles meant little to him, accomplishments did. And you have accomplished much and you will accomplish more. Once you are better, you will start your lessons with Keiko-san."

Kankuro winced, remembering how he had behaved in front of the librarian. "Will she still teach me? After what I did…"

"She will, she understands what happened Kankuro. Please, just remember to be respectful and careful of your language."

"I will." Kankuro stood up. "I'll do my best and I will become a jounin. Once they have scrolls, all of them will kick ass. You'll see." He grinned when he saw the despairing look Baki gave him, then composed himself and bowed deeply, surprising the jounin. "And thank-you Baki-sensei for all your help."


End file.
